A Day in the Life
by Vampire Ifurita
Summary: Just a day in the life. The workings of the mind and the complications that a new, yet old student bring with them into the lives of others. SasuGaa, a bit NaruGaa, highschool AU Chap 34: Join Me complete
1. Highschool

If: I decided that there weren't enough SasuGaa stories out there, so I decided to try writing one. I also noted that most SasuGaa stories would conviently leave out Naruto... so... I tried my best to keep everything IC, even if its the typical (even cliche) Highschool AU.

Disclaimer: if I owned it I wouldn't be writing fanfiction...

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High school: the source of teenage angst, and many horrible teen movies. In this place, the bane of the teenage existence, life is cliché and stereotypical. Cliques are alive and well, people are close minded and for some reason, unknown to man, everyone wants to be in the so called "popular" group. As the stereotype goes, these "popular" people aren't the brightest lights and are the captains of football teams and cheerleading squads. Why anyone would want to be part of that stereotype is beyond comprehension.

* * *

A loud beeping noise was echoing in the near-empty room. A hand casually reached over and turned the alarm clock off. A sigh escaped pale lips and a pale hand reached up to rub at tired eyes. Another sleepless night. Sighing once again, the boy finally rose from his bed. Tugging the sheets off to the side, he rolled out of the bed and stood on the floor. Scratching his head absently he made his way over to the other piece of furniture in his room, the dresser. After pulling a drawer open, he rummaged through it and pulled out a pair of black boxers, tossing them onto his bed. Opening another drawer, he pulled out a pair of tattered faded jeans, tossing them on the bed as well. Stumbling to his closet he threw open the doors and grabbed the first shirt he could find before tossing it onto the bed. Moving away from his closet and to the left he finally turned on the ceiling light.

Light green eyes blinked, trying to get used to the light. Squinting, the green eyed boy made his way back to his bed. Frowning at the shirt he had picked out, he shrugged it off and pulled it on. He looked down at the shirt. It was black, he could deal with that, but it said "I like skinny pale guys" on it in pink. Frowning, he pulled at the shirt. This so couldn't be his. It had to be his sisters or something… surely he would remember getting a shirt like this. He wasn't even gay… he thought. Scratching his head, covered in spiky blood red hair, he thought about it for a moment. He didn't think he was gay, but then again, he didn't really feel much of anything for people, so he really wouldn't know if he was gay or not. Shrugging at the pointlessness of his topic of thought, the boy decided to finish getting dressed. He pulled off the boxers he hand slept in, and pulled on the clean pair. Then he pulled on the tattered jeans. Taking a moment to finger brush his short red hair, he turned on his heel, grabbed the untouched schoolbag by the door and walked out into the hallway.

Following the hallway and casually looking at a door closed on his right, the boy made his way down the stairs. He would have to wait until the person in the bathroom surfaced before he could get in and put on his eyeliner. Stumbling down the last of the stairs, the boy cautiously peered around to make sure there were no malicious persons around. Seeing no one that would cause him bodily harm, the boy made his way to the kitchen by bumbling through the living room he had just entered. Setting his bag down by a chair he made his way to the fridge. Pulling the fridge door open, he looked around inside. There was nothing to eat in there. Pulling out the half gone carton of milk, he set it on the counter and pulled a glass out from a cabinet on his right. Pouring himself a glass, he turned to put the milk back into the fridge. When he turned back around, however, his glass of milk was being drunk by his older brother. He twitched.

"Kankuro…" he growled. His brother lifted a blonde eyebrow at him. The boy twitched again. "That was My milk."

"Heh, sorry Gaara," Kankuro said. He turned on his heel and made his way back to the kitchen table. Gaara growled and pulled out yet another glass before going back to the fridge, mumbling something about evil inconsiderate brothers. He glared once again at his brother, who was clad in a pair of patched jeans and a plain black shirt before pouring yet another glass of milk. This time the glass was snatched by a delicate hand with blue painted nails. Gaara twitched again.

"Thanks Gaara," his sister Temari said, gulping down the milk and handing him the glass, before going to rummage through a cabinet for food. Gaara growled at his half-clad sister, in her white mini-skirt and blue tank top. At least she had a white sweatshirt and knee-high boots on.

Grumbling once again, Gaara pulled out a third glass and poured yet another glass of milk, not even bothering to put the milk carton away before drinking his glass of milk. Setting down his glass, he glared at his so-called "family." Gaara wasn't exactly on good terms with them. His sister was one of those popular, yet individual popular people, but Gaara could see by the clothes she wore that she was starting to conform to the other popular girls slutty dress code and habits. His brother Kankuro wasn't exactly normally. The boy locked himself in his room to work on his puppets. He was anything but popular, but he disliked his brother with a passion. Gaara wouldn't put it past either of them to actually hate him. He was the only emoth person they knew… he didn't seem to fit into any standards and never seemed to fail at whatever it was that they thought he could at least pass with average grades. But of course life wasn't just that great; it was his father that made his life the greatest life anyone could have. His father, the angry god of violence. Every day it seemed Gaara was getting yelled at for some stupid reason, and beaten for another. Truly it was a wonderful life that Gaara led.

The only bright spot in this world of darkness it seemed was Gaara's one and only friend… and he literally was a bright spot. Gaara had met said bright spot three years ago. It had been a bad day for Gaara and he didn't really remember much, only that he was lashing out at anyone who even looked at him wrong. It had ended up that he had messed with one hyperactive blonde with an ego problem. This blonde, clad in orange head to foot, had taken him on in a fist fight and that was the first time that Gaara had lost to one of his peers, having always lost against his father. Gaara had been stunned to say the least, and then the blonde had gone off on a strangely philosophical speech, and they had somehow been friends ever since. They were strangely similar, having dealt with much of the same things and yet so many different things at the same time. They understood each other on a fundamental level, and they were inseparable.

Gaara looked up at the clock and his eyes got wide. Running up the stairs he dashed into the bathroom and shut the door. Rummaging through the cabinets he searched for his black eyeliner pencil. Finally finding it, he put thick black lines around both his eyes. Glancing at his appearance in the full length mirror, Gaara spotted the old scars on his wrists. Long ago, before he had met his one and only friend, Gaara had been desperate for relief. He had no one to talk to, to turn to when things got rough and the only thing he could think of to help the pain was to cut. Gaara felt ashamed now that he looked at the mostly healed, but always visible scars. There had to have been some other way back then, but even thinking about it now with the clarity that he had now, there still was no other option he could think of.

The doorbell brought Gaara out of his thoughts. Surely there was something wrong with him today, reminiscing about the past that he had never wanted to remember.

"Gaara!" came the shout from downstairs. Gaara opened the bathroom door after unlocking it. "Naruto's here!"

Gaara rushed out of the bathroom and down the stairs skidding to a halt before an orange clad person. Gaara's face seemed to light up, but he did not smile. A giant grin was his friend's response.

"Morning Gaara!" the loud nearly obnoxious voice of Gaara's one and only friend, Naruto Uzumaki, shouted in his ear. Flinching slightly, Gaara braced for impact. Said orange clad Uzumaki proceeded to glomp onto his friend just as he did every morning. Hugging his friend close the blonde grinned even larger, Gaara was such a softie. Waiting approximately ten seconds, Gaara started to push at his friend.

"Naruto…" he tried to say, but the other boy hugged him closer, effectively cutting off any protests Gaara would have had.

"Could you two go and be gay somewhere else?" Kankuro's voice came from the table. Gaara turned his head to glare at his brother and Naruto finally let go of his friend. Gaara sighed in relief, but was soon startled to find Naruto's arm around his waist and his face dangerously close to Gaara's. Gaara's eyes went wide; surely he wasn't going to…

"Nope," Naruto replied before Gaara could finish his thought and before he could do anything Naruto had already pressed his lips to Gaara's cheek.

"Wahh!" Gaara shouted, and scrambled away from his now cackling friend. Gaara wiped at his cheek, furiously trying to get the feeling of Naruto's lips off of his skin. Looking to see his brother, Gaara wasn't surprised to see Kankuro's face had drained of all color. Gaara turned his head to look at his sister and saw with a certain unease that indicated certain doom, that she was grinning like a maniac and had stars in her eyes. Gaara had the sudden urge to flee.

"That was so kawaii!" Temari finally shouted. Gaara hung his head and felt the sudden urge to bang his head against the floor. Kankuro had a look of utter confusion and aghast. He stared at his sister like she had gone insane and even Naruto had stopped laughing to look at her like she had lost any marbles she might have had. "What?"

Gaara stood, patted his sister on the head, grabbed his bag and Naruto's arm, and started to walk to the door. "We're going to school now."

"Bye Gaara!" Temari cried out and Kankuro waved, though Gaara didn't see it, his back to his siblings. Once safely out the door, Gaara pinned Naruto with a "what the hell were you thinking?" look.

"I couldn't help myself!" Naruto cried. "It seemed like a good idea at the time!"

Gaara hung his head. "Come on."

"Right beside you," Naruto said, once again grinning from ear to ear. A few seconds of silence occurred before the inevitable. "By the way…"

Gaara sighed; his ears certainly had been getting a lot of work since he had become friends with Naruto.

"Did I tell you about my old bestest buddy in the whole world?" Naruto asked, having moved from Gaara's side to walking backwards in front of his friend.

"What about him?" Gaara asked, looking up at the sky and wondering if any god would be merciful enough to strike him down at this very moment.

"He's coming back!" Naruto exclaimed. Gaara raised and eyebrow and grabbed hold on Naruto to keep him from walking into traffic. "He's been gone for a little over three years and he's coming back!"

"Joy," Gaara replied, letting Naruto start backwards again as the traffic stopped for a red light and the pedestrian lights said to cross.

"Hell yeah! We were best friends from like, kindergarten up till the time he went away… we kinda had a falling out before he left… I thought he was doing stupid things for stupid reasons and he wouldn't listen to anyone that was telling him not to do it and just left. It was the strangest thing getting a letter from him telling me that he would be coming back. I wonder how he's changed…"

Gaara zoned out through the rest of Naruto's little rant on his old "best buddy." Gaara had this sinking feeling that once this other boy was back that Naruto would forget about him. A deep pain resonated in his chest as he thought about it. Bringing a hand to his chest Gaara clenched his hand. He wouldn't lose his one and only friend, but he knew that once this boy came back it would be hard not to. Naruto would easily forget him and go back to whatever it was that he had had before.

"Gaara!" Naruto's shouted burst through his depressing thoughts. Gaara blinked up at his friend. Naruto was looking at him like he had lost his mind, and yet there was concern hidden in that look as well. Gaara glared and Naruto grinned at him.

"I said, 'we're here'," Naruto repeated. Gaara looked up at the brick building. Taking in a deep breath, Gaara prepared himself for another day of the bottom of the social ladder, another day of ridicule and teasing. He was ready for it; he had someone to stand tall with.


	2. Class

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.

If: Wahhh, I'm on a role... much luv to my three wonderful reviewers: TheFutureFreaksMeOut, Demonchildssister, and YoungSasuke. (I am so totally freaking since two of my favorite SasuGaa authors reviewed... I feel special) But anyway, much luv to y'all and I hope ya like this.

Behold, the entrance of Sasuke!

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Class has a double meaning in reference to school. One meaning is the classes you go to: math, English, history, and etc. The other meaning is in reference to your social status. You can belong to one of two broad groups: popular or unpopular. These groups are divided into smaller groups: preps, jocks, goths, nerds, and many others. Class is an important yet unimportant part of high school.

* * *

Gaara glared at the building before him. Standing by the road, with Naruto at his side made bearing this hell much easier. He sighed, another day in the life of the social outcast. Taking a step forward onto the lawn leading up to the building, Gaara glanced over at Naruto. Apparently Naruto was still talking to him. Gaara rolled his eyes, sometimes he wondered if Naruto was ever quiet. Turning his eyes back to the school, Gaara watched all the people interact. Cheerleaders were grouped together in a semi-circle pointing and gossiping about the jocks from the football team. Occasionally they would start giggling and eventually the jocks joined their little group. A group of boys were over by the school sign discussing the various ways to beat bosses in video games, or talking about various strategies for D&D. There were a bunch of hippies gathered by the science week apparently protesting the dissection of frogs. Gaara sighed at the pointlessness of it all.

As Gaara and Naruto reached the stairs leading up into the school, Naruto spotted some of his friends and ran over to them, shouting at them as he did. Gaara heaved a sigh and turned to follow him. Unfortunately, he ran into someone on his way after his friend. Glaring at whoever had dared block his path, Gaara came face to face with one of the few people that he absolutely hated: Deidra. Glare hardening into something far more foul, Gaara stepped away from Deidra and tried to go around him and his little henchman Sasori. Startled as his collar was grabbed and he was pulled up to be face to face with the blonde that had a habit of terrorizing him whenever possible, Gaara kicked at the air beneath his feet in a feeble attempt to get down.

"Just who do you think you're walking into, yeah?" Deidra asked. Gaara snarled.

"Apparently a brick wall," Gaara growled in response. Deidra grinned and shook the helpless Gaara.

"A brick wall, yeah?" Deidra hissed, shaking Gaara harder. Gaara grimaced. "I think you need to learn some manners, yeah."

Gaara growled and tried to pry Deidra's fingers from the front of his shirt, but the upperclassman's grip was tight and he wasn't letting go any time soon. Gaara's eyes grew wide as the blonde pulled back his arm and let a fist fly at Gaara's face. Arms reacting without even thinking about it, Gaara caught Deidra's fist before it could collide with his face. Deidra snarled and freed his hand, aiming to try and hit the underclassman again. Gaara found that his arms were now pulled behind his back by Deidra's henchman Sasori. Struggling with all his might, Gaara tried to get free before the second fist could impact.

"Deidra, Sasori," came the cold and calm voice from Gaara's right. Gaara turned his head to see the leader of the two punks trying to beat the shit out of him, one Itachi Uchiha. Gaara's mouth fell open. "Leave that little worm alone, the man's watching. You can beat the crap out of him later."

Gaara nearly fell, with how quickly he was released. Regaining his balance, Gaara glared at the three of them as they walked away.

"Gaara!" Naruto shouted and glomped onto Gaara's back. "Are you alright!"

Gaara sighed and hung his head. "I'm fine."

Naruto hugged him tight. After a moment Gaara poked Naruto's arm indicating he should let go. Naruto obediently did and Gaara turned to him, giving him a nod of appreciation. Naruto grinned hugely and pulled Gaara up the stairs and into the building.

* * *

Gaara's first class was German, while Naruto's was Algebra. Gaara knew most of the people in his class, but he only tolerated one, and that was Hinata Hyuuga. The only reason he tolerate her was because she was devoted to Naruto to a fault. Gaara could empathize with that. Hinata usually sat on the other side of the classroom, but the two of them always worked together on projects since no one else would work with them and they didn't want to work with anyone else. Hinata was an extremely shy girl. She had an older cousin, Neji that Gaara could identify with, and would hesitatingly call his friend. Hinata had short nearly shoulder length hair that was jet black. She was wearing a plain white sweatshirt with a collared blue and green shirt under it along with a pair of blue jeans. Gaara found that she was a very nice person once you got past the stuttering shyness.

"Guten Tag mein Studentin!" came the jubilant cry from the front of the classroom. Gaara looked to the front of the room to see his favorite teacher, Herr Schultz, in the front of the room sitting on his usual stool. Herr Schultz was a happy, short, balding and pleasantly plump man. He was always wearing a smile and could make even the most boring of things fun. Gaara was sometimes surprised he learned in this class, considering how much fun it was. Herr Schultz could hardly ever be serious, and even if he was serious for a moment the next would make you laugh so hard your stomach would hurt. He was one of those rare people that can make jokes about themselves and take jokes about themselves from others. Even though Gaara would never admit it aloud, Herr Schultz was his favorite teacher ever, and he would kill to be like the man sitting happily on his little stool.

"Guten Tag Herr Schultz," the class replied. Herr Schultz grinned with all the power of the sun shining from his smile and off the top of his bald head (his head only being bald at the top). Gaara could feel a smile tugging at the tips of his impassive lips. Sometimes his face would try its hardest to break the mask of nothing that was always on his face, but emotions would always fail to be seen or shown on his impassive face.

"I would like to announce that today we will be getting a new student," Herr Schultz said. A murmur broke out between the students. Gaara barely raised an eyebrow. "He should be here any moment."

"He?" some of the girls asked, stars shining in their eyes. Gaara hung his head. Women. They were all so simple. All women wanted was a cute guy to take notice of them and make them feel "special." Gaara figured all women were sex starved gold diggers. The students kept getting louder and speculations of what this new guy could look like started to circle. Barely paying attention to the mindless prattle around him, Gaara nearly missed the knock on the door. The room went silent.

"That must be him," Herr Schultz said. "Come on in!" he called out.

The door opened and the room went silent. Gaara was horrified to find himself staring.

The boy in the door was gorgeous (Gaara was loathe to admit). Black hair framed his pale cherubim face and was spiked in the back (Gaara was amazed the guy could pull off that hair style). His black eyes radiated from his pale face. Strangely, he had full pale lips and Gaara found himself wondering if they were as soft as they looked. He was wearing a white collared shirt covered in patches of various bands and a black pinstriped pin tie with skull and crossbones at the bottom. The shirt clung to his thin and yet shapely body. His black, torn, tattered, and endlessly patched pants clung to his narrow hips and pooled over his black and white checkered converse.

Gaara blinked and few times and unconsciously pinched himself. Flinching and coming to from his little gorgeous guy induced faze, Gaara turned his eyes away… only to find that everyone else was still staring at the guy with open mouths and some drooling. Gaara was suddenly thankful for his unbreakable mask of indifference. Turning away from the now smitten class, Gaara turned his attention to Herr Schultz, who was just as out of it, but quickly snapped out of it.

"Feel free to sit wherever you want, we don't have assigned seats," he said to the new guy.

"Thanks…" the new guy replied, his voice dark and sultry, whether this was intentional or not, Gaara had no idea. Gaara shook his head to clear his mind of any new guy centered thoughts, but was quickly snapped out of the task by a voice at his ear.

"Is anyone sitting here?" that sultry voice practically purred in his ear. Gaara snapped around, only to come face to face with endlessly dark black eyes. Gaara could feel himself practically drowning in those endless eyes. Absentmindedly, Gaara shook his head, indicating there was no one sitting wherever the new guy had asked about. Tearing his eyes away, Gaara faced forward and tried to collect his thoughts, only to have them scatter again as the new guy sat in front of him. Gaara had the sudden urge to bang his head against his desk.

"Before we get started, why don't you tell us about yourself?" Herr Schultz said to the new guy. The new guy stood and made his way to the front of the classroom.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, and I used to live here but three years ago I went to New York for a private education," Sasuke told the class. Gaara didn't look up from his desk, afraid of what would happen if he did.

"Thank you Sasuke, you can sit back down now," Herr Schultz said, Sasuke nodded and went back to his seat.

"Today we will be starting a new project," Herr Schultz announced as soon as everyone was relatively quiet. A collective groan escaped the students. "The good news is that you will be working in partners."

Gaara suddenly felt as though everyone were looking at him. Looking up from his desk Gaara found everyone's eyes on Sasuke. Groaning inwardly, Gaara leaned back in his desk and closed his eyes. A poke forced him to crack open an eye, Hinata would never touch him, she was too afraid to do that. Gaara was startled to find black eyes looking at him. Raising an eyebrow, Gaara leaned forward.

"What?" he asked coldly. The Uchiha looked slightly taken aback, but quickly recovered and plastered a smirk on his face.

"Wanna be partners?" he asked. Gaara gave him a "we are not impressed" look.

"Why me, Mr. Popularity?" Gaara asked somewhat suspiciously. The notion was echoed in the recently formed mob around the Uchiha's desk. Most were telling Sasuke not to pair up with Gaara because he was a blood thirsty monster who ate babies for the fun of it.

"Because you're the only who doesn't seem to be impressed," Sasuke said and leaned forward hovering next to Gaara's ear. "Besides, I believe that I fit the description on your shirt."

Gaara's eyes widened minimally and he shot back in his chair when he felt a warm and wet tongue tracing the shell of his ear. Clutching a hand to his ear, Gaara couldn't stop his face from being contorted into a look of surprise and revulsion.

"Uh… um…" a soft female voice spoke. Gaara turned his surprised look to the speaker, seeing Hinata Gaara did his best to school his face back into his indifferent mask.

"Hinata," he said, ignoring the impudent Uchiha.

"W-would y-you b-b-be my part-tner Gaara?" she stuttered. Gaara let the tiniest of smiles (which was about the tiniest curving up of his lips) cross his face.

"Sure," he replied and grabbed his bag, ignoring the heated glare that was plastered to his back from the Uchiha.

Sitting next to Hinata across the room from the mob of people surrounding Sasuke, Gaara chuckled a bit at the sight. Soon Herr Schultz came over though and divided the mob up into groups of two, leaving only the Uchiha. Gaara had a sinking feeling deep in his stomach.

"Well Sasuke, since you seem to be the odd man out, I'll let you choose the group you want to join," Herr Schultz said. A smirk covered the Uchiha's face. Gaara's sinking feeling grew. Sasuke stood, grabbed his bag and plopped into the seat next to Gaara.

Gaara had a feeling that this would be a long school year.


	3. Class 2

Disclaimer: ... do I look like I own it?

If: Waah! Thanks to my wonderful reviewers! I luv y'all. You totally make my day.

Brooklyn'sGurl : I'm so glad you like it even though you're not a huge fan of the pairing!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : thank you for the review! I'll have to try some humor, but I'm generally not very good at happy/humor. We'll see what the story wants to do.

YoukoMinamino :) I'm glad you're loving it!

Mochi :Waahh... thanks for the Deidara thing. I was totally thinking I had spelled it wrong and then forgot to check and then I posted... whooops. Thanks for the support. I'm glad you liked Sasuke's reply, I thought that would be so Sasuke.

Pokky : thanks for the review, and here's the chap

And thanks to any of you who read and don't review! I hope you're enjoying the story!

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Class is sometimes known to students as a form of torture. Teachers that lecture in monotone voices while showing slide shows that are decaying before their very eyes, homework assignments that consume their free time, and the worst thing of all: group projects. To be forced to work and sit next to the people that you hate and who hate you in return is torture. Torture, to students, is a synonym for class.

* * *

Gaara was sure that the universe hated him. German, his favorite class with his favorite teacher, had become the bane of his existence. Having spent only 50 minutes with the Uchiha had driven him nearly insane and it took all of his willpower to keep his split personality at bay. It would be bad to let his second, less stable self, known affectionately as Shukaku, out on the unsuspecting public… besides, Gaara could get suspended again. That was what seemed to happen when Shukaku got out. Gaara thought that he was lucky that he hadn't been expelled for his second half's behavior yet. He also thought that Sasuke was one lucky bastard. Gaara had a hard time holding back Shukaku when he was that affected by a person.

Fifty minutes. Gaara had counted them all practically. Sasuke had apparently decided that it was his job to torture Gaara. All class long the Uchiha had been leaning too close said questionable things and constantly asked Gaara questions or asked to borrow something. Gaara had developed a twitch from it all. Having an impassive, unreadable mask for a face was hard around the Uchiha. Gaara was perfectly comfortable in his own asexual preference to admit that the bastard was a gorgeous creature… too bad his personality got to Gaara so bad. Then again, Gaara totally didn't think that last part. No matter what, he wasn't interested in the Uchiha. He was only interested in getting away from him, which was why when the bell rang he snatched all his stuff and dashed out the door. Freedom was such a wonderful thing.

Gaara had taken his time getting to his next class, which just so happened to be history. He wandered the halls during his five minute break, just weaving through the crowd. Managing to still get to class early, which Gaara was totally astounded by, Gaara managed one step in the room before stopping in stunned disbelief. The Uchiha was there, talking to the teacher. Gaara wanted to run. He wanted to bang his head repeatedly on the walls, he wanted to hurt the Uchiha, but he just stood there, face stony. Hanging his head in defeat, Gaara shuffled down an aisle and to his seat. Dropping his bag carelessly next to his desk, Gaara practically fell into his chair, put his arms on the desk and buried his head between his arms.

Feeling a dark and evil presence hovering about him, Gaara turned his head to the side just enough to see with one eye. Seeing the Uchiha, Gaara's eye narrowed.

"What do **you** want?" Gaara asked, annoyed that the Uchiha was bugging him again.

"I'm just surprised that you're in my class is all," Sasuke said coolly. A smile that just didn't look right on his face appeared. "What a wonderful coincidence."

Gaara buried his head again. "You probably planned it you bastard."

Grinning, Sasuke pulled a chair next to Gaara and sat down. "Now why would I do that? And how?"

"I don't know why… you're the evil one, you explain it," Gaara mumbled. "And you probably bribed the school officials."

Raising a delicate eyebrow, Sasuke pondered what Gaara had said, then shrugged it off. "Poor Gaara."

"Damn straight," Gaara said, sliding away from the Uchiha. Sasuke's grin grew.

"Straight as a circle," he said in Gaara's ear. Startled once again by the unpredictable Uchiha, Gaara flailed and fell from his seat. The bell rang and Gaara glared at Sasuke, as if to say "get the hell away from me and my desk," but Sasuke staid where he was. Gaara wanted to cry, even if he didn't show it. Gaara decided that the universe hated him right then.

Climbing back into his seat, Gaara gave the Uchiha a warning glare before pulling out his history book. Turning it open to the pages indicated by the teacher, Gaara twitched as Sasuke leaned right up against him to read from his book.

"Don't you have your own book?" Gaara hissed as Sasuke pressed himself even closer, Gaara barely fighting off the urge to shudder, but whether it was from revulsion or pleasure he didn't know.

"No," Sasuke replied and turned to give Gaara a grin. Narrowing his eyes, Gaara turned away from the Uchiha and tried to focus at the task at hand, reading. It didn't last long. Gaara suddenly felt a hand on his thigh. Tensing, Gaara slid his own hand down to pry off the offending appendage now squeezing his thigh. Resistance was futile apparently as Gaara found a hand inconspicuously brushing a different part of him all class long. Twitching violently, Gaara finally had had enough. Raising his hand, Gaara waited patiently for the teacher to call on him, his other hand holding tight to the Uchiha's to keep him from molesting him.

"Gaara," the teacher, Mr. Takamura finally called on him. Gaara heaved a sigh of relief. "Do you have a question?"

"Yes, why the hell do I have to share with this bastard?" Gaara grit out, his hand once again trying to pry the Uchiha's hand from his knee this time. The teacher just stared at him for a moment before narrowing his eyes.

"Because Mr. Sabaku, Mr. Uchiha doesn't know anyone else but you in this class it seems, and its better that he look off someone who he knows then someone he doesn't," Mr. Takamura said. Gaara felt his eye twitch.

"That doesn't make much sense," Gaara said, having finally stopped the wandering hand, at least for the time being.

"Mr. Sabaku, I don't need your opinion on this, just share with Mr. Uchiha," Mr. Takamura said. Gaara wasn't too happy with that answer. Sasuke leaned up to whisper in Gaara's ear.

"You can't get rid of me that easy Sabaku," he said nipping at Gaara's earlobe this time. Gaara's face contorted into a look of mixed surprise, confusion and something else that Gaara just couldn't identify. Crashing out of his seat and falling into the aisle, Gaara was lucky that the bell decided to ring at that exact moment. Grabbing his things, Gaara rushed out of the classroom.

Gasping for breath, Gaara brought a hand up to his ear. Shaking his head, Gaara decided that the shirt he was wearing was evil and that every bad thing happening to him today was because of it. Tugging at the hem of the shirt and cursing it in his head, Gaara started off to his next class.

Weaving through the crowd, Gaara felt his eye twitching. Gaara glared. His twitch was officially Sasuke Uchiha radar. Every time he started twitching Sasuke would appear. Getting frustrated as the twitch worsened, Gaara spun around to face the Uchiha, who was a foot behind him.

"Stop following me!" Gaara hissed. Sasuke just looked at him blankly and walked past him, stopping when they were back to back.

"Don't flatter yourself Sabaku," Sasuke said and continued on. Gaara was flabbergasted. The Uchiha had been practically molesting him in his classes and now… now it was as if he was above Gaara. Gaara clenched his fist, even though he had no idea why he did. He had only known the Uchiha for two hours and already his world was turned upside down.

Gaara grumbled something and started walking to his class again, ironically following Sasuke in order to do so. Gaara felt like he was going to snap as the Uchiha stepped into the class he was going to. Turning and smirking, Sasuke confronted Gaara as he crossed into the room.

"Are you stalking me Gaara?" Sasuke asked. Gaara's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Suddenly Gaara had a feeling of something distinctly malicious standing behind him. Turning his head slowly Gaara caught sight of a handful of newly created fan girls glaring at him, promising him a slow and painful death with their eyes if he dared stalk the Uchiha. Gaara was angry now. Since when were people threatening **him**! He turned back to the Uchiha, who was now grinning broadly.

"Don't flatter yourself Uchiha," Gaara said, throwing Sasuke's own words back at him. Grinning inwardly at his brilliant strategy, Gaara almost didn't notice the evil aura of death pinned to his back. Eyes growing minimally wide, Gaara felt more than saw the fan girls surround him. Cringing, Gaara looked straight at the one who was apparently the leader, a girl named Sakura Haruno.

"Gaara Sabaku!" she cried in her shrill, girly voice. Gaara cringed again. "Stop stalking our Sasuke-kun!"

Gaara's face went blank. His left eye twitched.

"Yeah! Stop stalking Sasuke-kun!" the other girls chorused. Gaara twitched again.

"Creepy goth kids like you shouldn't even be privileged to look upon the magnificence that is Sasuke-kun!" one of the girls said, the others shouted "yeah!" Gaara felt the twitch starting to get worse.

"So stay away from him!" one of them yelled. Gaara snapped.

"Shut the fuck up. That damn bastard is in all of my classes and you say **I'm** stalking **him**! That little shit's been following me around and sitting next to me and practically molesting me, and you dare accuse me of stalking **him**! How stupid are you bitches!" Gaara burst, surprising himself in the process. Under normal conditions Gaara would just ignore these girls but this had to do with Sasuke, and anything concerning Sasuke seemed to make Gaara over-react or be emotional. The girls were just staring at him.

"Mr. Sabaku," a male voice boomed from the front of the class. Gaara cringed. "I would prefer if you refrained from using that sort of language in my class."

Gaara turned sheepishly to his teacher, Asuma. "Sorry sir…"

Asuma just raised an eyebrow and waved that he should go to his seat. Gaara hung his head and shuffled his way to where he sat, noticing that the Uchiha wasn't sitting next to (but seeming to rather sit on) him.

* * *

Sasuke just couldn't believe his luck. He'd been gone three long years with that damn snake bastard, studying and doing fieldwork and generally working his ass off. So he finally returns to his hometown, to find that most things haven't changed, but some have. Naruto is still a dobe, but now he wasn't as stupid as he used to be. He had even seemingly forgiven Sasuke for just up and leaving. Naruto was simple like that.

Sasuke had learned many things with Orochimaru, and one of the most revealing of those was that he was in fact gay. Sasuke had thought that he might be a while back, what with him never being interested in girls in the least and being scarily attracted to Naruto, his best dobe friend. Sasuke had only known for sure when he had gone to his first bar over in Europe, guys were hitting on him and he had loved it. One guy in particular had been rather "affectionate," and Sasuke hadn't minded at all when he got felt up, in fact he had rather enjoyed the whole experience. Thus, Sasuke came to the conclusion that he was gay.

So, Sasuke was pleased beyond belief when he got to his first class only to lay eyes on the most captivating creature he had ever seen. Blood red hair, pale skin, pale green eyes, small pink lips and a figure to die for. Sasuke had been even more pleased to see said sex-god's shirt. Inwardly Sasuke had done a little happy dance. His luck was incredible. So Sasuke made it perfectly clear that he was totally interested, and found that he loved to make emotion appear on that blank face. Sasuke knew that there was probably a reason that this angel fallen from grace had an unreadable, emotionless face, and Sasuke was surprised to find himself wanting to know why. He was just drawn to this heavenly creature.

Gaara Sabaku…


	4. Lunch

**Diclaimer:** ... Yup. I own it. Bought it on ebay. And may lightning strike me if I lie. :gets struck by lightning:

**If:** Woo. Chapter 4 already. I'm an updating MACHINE! ... I think I'm just particularly inspired and have waaaaay too much free time... but anyway. Woo for reviews! And those who right them! I love y'all to no end.

xCrAzYxGuRlx : AH yes, the non-mainstream pairings. Gotta luv 'em. And I'm sure Gaara luvs the attention, he's just in denial. :nods: Thank ya for the review! I am glad ya think its good work and ya like it!

Essie : Woo! Thanks for the review. And I am so not a good writer, I'm mediocre at best.

Property-Of-Gaara (lazeh) : You are so welcome for pimping the Comm! I luv that comm. How could I not? Surpassing From Here To Eternity? That is so impossible, but I feel honored that you like my fic enough to say that. 'm glad ya like my Sasuke. I was hoping people would enjoy this version of him. And I do have AIM (though it hates me right now). Meh s/n is VampirePandora13. Feel free to drop an IM. I love people!

Brooklyn'sGurl: Yeah, poor Gaara. He's just so stressed. I mean, he only has a gorgeous guy hanging all over and we all know how trying that can be.

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Woo! Thanks man! I'm glad you're liking it so much! And I'll try to put in as much humor as I can (though I suck at humor). Maybe Gaara'll start a fashion trend... (laughs thinking about all the girls in the school going out and buying Gaara's shirt to get Sasuke to notice them.)

wIthOUt A nAmE: OMG! I totally forgot to thank you last chapter:feels like a jerk: THANKS for the review. And I don't know about Neji. I know he'll be in the story quite a bit, but I don't know what'll be happening with him. We'll have to wait and see, won't we?

**W**oah, lots of people to thank... I might have to start doing this at the end. I'm sure people are gonna be like "OMG! Replying to your reviewers at the beginning! Put it at the end! We want story!"... or maybe its all in my imagination...

* * *

Lunch

* * *

Lunch. Lunch is a time for freedom. A break from the monotonous life that is high school. A time to get together with your friends and chat or rant about the days passings. This was the time that clicks would get together and gossip would spread even more than it usually did. Lunch was a time for freedom.

* * *

"That god damned bastard!" Gaara shouted. Nine pairs of startled eyes turned to look at a livid Gaara. Naruto was looking at his friend with some sympathy in his eyes, but anyone could clearly see that he was holding in the laughter. Lee, in green with his usual youthful exuberance, was nodding vigorously and egging on Gaara. Tenten, who was sitting next to Lee who was sitting next to Naruto who was sitting next to Gaara, bopped the green clad boy on the head, not wanting Gaara to go off any deeper than he already was. Hinata, the only other girl at the table, was trying to sooth Gaara and at the same time prevent Tenten from hurting Lee too much. Kiba, Hinata's boyfriend, was finding all of this hysterical and was laughing his head off. Shino was silent as always, just watching this entirely unexpected outburst. Chouji was too busy eating, but did notice the anger radiating off Gaara, and Shikamaru looked as if he were asleep. Neji, sitting next to Gaara, was rubbing his temple. 

"Seriously! Who does he think he is!" Gaara yelled, banging his fist on the table, gaining everyone's attention. "Molesting me in my classes! Being in all my classes! What kind of creepy perverted stalker is he anyway! Why me!"

"It might have something to do with your shirt," Neji pointed out, poking Gaara's side, earning him the glare of untimely death. Rolling his eyes, Neji went back to passively listening to the out of character outburst.

"You know, Neji has a point," Naruto agreed. Gaara turned his glare to him. Naruto 'eep' ed and scooted his chair back a bit, away from the livid redhead.

"God damned fucking shirt! I knew I should have worn something else! Damnit! But its not like I'm advertising "hey, I'm gay molest me" you know. I'm not even gay! I'm asexual!" Gaara went on. Neji rolled his eyes and Naruto broke out into a laugh. "Stop laughing at me!"

"I… can't help… it," Naruto managed to say between boughts of laughter. Gaara's glare intensified.

"It is rather amusing," Neji added. Gaara turned the glare to him. Neji sighed. "I'm immune to your glare now."

Gaara growled.

"You know," Shika spoke up from the other side of the table. "It sounds almost as if you like the guy."

All eyes turned to Shika. Gaara twitched.

"Waahh!" Naruto suddenly screeched, causing everyone to wince at the tone and volume of his voice. Gaara stuck his finger in his ear.

"What Naruto?" he asked, pinning the blonde with a look, ignoring everyone else who had turned to each other to speculate over the fact that Gaara most likely did like this mysterious stalker guy.

"That teme, my old bestest buddy, said that he'd join us for lunch and he's not here!" Naruto exclaimed, striking the table with his fist.

"Would you people stop that, it's upsetting my lunch," Chouji interjected before going back to eating.

"What are you talking about you dobe?" a sadistically sultry and deep voice that Gaara knew only too well asked from behind him. Gaara hadn't noticed that he was twitching again. Cursing in his head Gaara didn't bother to turn around to look at Uchiha Sasuke.

"Teme! You're late!" Naruto shouted, turning around while grinning like a maniac. Sasuke lifted a thin eyebrow at his friend. Pausing to gaze over the people at the table, Sasuke recognized each and every one of them, especially a certain redhead he was currently stalking (but would never admit to stalking him). Sasuke smirked, pulling up a chair and settling it between Naruto's and Gaara's. Recognizing Naruto's "I'm gonna glomp you" look Sasuke quickly set his lunch down and braced for impact. Naruto crashed into him with all the grace of a 747 crashing into the landing strip. Though he was happy to see Naruto and was enjoying being around him, Sasuke watched Gaara out of the corner of his eye. Gaara was apparently thinking this was his chance to escape before he got "molested" again. Inconspicuously grabbing his bag, Gaara carefully stood and turned on his heel. Unfortunately for Gaara, Sasuke reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt. Gaara jumped, startled by someone grabbing his clothes to stop his hasty retreat to the library.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted, noticing Sasuke holding Gaara back from making a quick escape. "Where do you think you're going Gaara?"

Gaara turned his head to look at Naruto, the expression of "as far away as I can get" clearly written on his face. Naruto frowned.

"What's up man?" he asked, letting go of Sasuke and moving to stand next to Gaara.

Gaara didn't even deign that with a response. Simply tugging on his shirt, and ignoring everything but getting the Uchiha's hand off, Gaara tried to pry Sasuke's hand off, only to get his hand sucked up by the Uchiha's.

"Why Gaara, I didn't think you felt that way," Sasuke said smugly, stroking the back of Gaara's hand with his fingers. Gaara thought that his twitch was now more of a steady pulse now then a twitch.

"I don't. Now let go you bastard," Gaara growled, trying his best to get his hand free.

Neji blinked a few times before turning to Shika and indicating Sasuke with his head. Shika, noticing this indication nodded his head in response. Neji gave him a look that said "thought so." Turning back to watch Gaara's futile struggle, Neji almost laughed as Gaara got tugged into an embrace by the Uchiha.

"God damn you! Let me go!" Gaara cried out, feeling his sanity slip away. Sanity… Shit. Gaara's eyes grew wide and he struggled more fiercely to get free. Now was a very bad time.

"Nope," was Sasuke's reply, loving every moment of his embrace with Gaara (even though Gaara really wasn't embracing him).

Gaara panicked. Bringing his arm up, he bent it and somehow managed to elbow Sasuke in the side. Sasuke grunted and let go of Gaara, who scrambled away.

"I said, let go," Gaara spoke coolly, his voice darker and seemingly filled with malice. Naruto's eyes went wide and he quickly took stock of the situation. Gaara definitely was looking more crazy than ever, and his eyes… Naruto jumped out of his seat. Gaara's eyes were starting to not look like his own.

"Sasuke," Naruto said, coming up to the slightly bent over Uchiha. "Don't mess with Gaara right now…"

But Sasuke had already stood. A glare on his face and a growl in his throat, Sasuke was ready to beat the crap out of one Gaara Sabaku. Among the many academic things Sasuke had picked up with that snake-y pedophile, was the useful knowledge of hand to hand fighting. Bringing his fists up, in a ready stance, Sasuke was ready for a fight.

Gaara felt the second consciousness creeping up from the deepest, darkest corners of his mind, that clawing, bloodthirsty, angry entity that only wanted to torture and kill. Gaara had been so good for so long… _he_ hadn't shown up for three years. Even the few times Gaara had gotten suspended because of behavior very similar to that of _him_, it had never really been _him_. Gaara knew that today he wouldn't be so lucky. It was taking over. Gaara could feel his willpower, his strength against the darkness fading. Gaara's face blanked.

Naruto knew it was going to be bad the second Gaara's face blanked entirely. Gaara's eyes were glinting with the insanity, the darkness. The smirk… Gaara's face held that evil condescending smirk, that smirk that betrayed his mental instability. It was a twisted smile. Naruto rushed over to his friend and grabbed hold of one of his arms.

"Gaara! Come back Gaara!" Naruto shouted, shaking his friend's arm. Gaara's eyes flicked over to him. The next thing Naruto knew was that he was flying backwards. Gaara had backhanded him into the lunchroom table that they had been sitting at.

Gaara turned his now sadistic smile to Sasuke. He was still fighting, still holding on in his mind, but the fog was closing in, and the other personality would take over if he didn't hold on. Sasuke growled at him.

"You…" he said, not even being able to form a coherent sentence. He charged forward and threw a punch at Gaara. Gaara easily blocked the punch and the hook that was sent after it. Grabbing both of Sasuke's arms, Gaara slammed his knee into Sasuke's stomach. Letting go, Gaara expected the Uchiha to fall, but he didn't. Sasuke threw another punch at him. Scoffing, Gaara ducked under it and slammed his own fist into Sasuke's jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. Arms wrapped around Gaara, pinning his arms to the side. A face buried itself between his shoulder blades.

"Gaara… come back," came the weak voice of Naruto. Gaara struggled, but he could feel the darkness backing away, afraid of the light that was Naruto. Gaara's shoulders sagged, his posture relaxed and his eyes became unfocused.

"Sabaku Gaara," boomed a bass voice from Gaara's left. Gaara turned his head to see Ibiki Morino. Gaara shivered. That man creeped him out to no end. "I see that you have been beating up on innocent civilians again."

Gaara looked at him as if he were crazy. "That ass isn't innocent."

"Silence!" Morino shouted. Gaara flinched. "Grab him and follow me."

Gaara sighed. It seemed as though he would be in trouble once again. Gaara shivered, it would be worse this time though, his father would be home to hear about it. The fog crept up in his mind again and it was all Gaara could do to keep it from gaining control. Sighing, Gaara gently pried Naruto off of his back. He turned to look at him.

"I'm fine now," he said. Naruto looked a bit doubtful, but Gaara gave him the tiniest of smiles. "Trust me."

"You make that very hard to do sometimes," Naruto replied grinning. Gaara's lips twitched, longing to smile in return.

"I'm sorry Naruto," he said softly, looking down at the ground.

"It's alright Gaara, you can't control it," Naruto said. Gaara looked up at him, the truth shining in his eyes.

"But you can," Gaara said. Naruto just looked stunned for a moment, before looking away from Gaara's honest eyes.

"Sabaku!" Morino shouted. Gaara jumped and whirled around to go grab Sasuke.

"Coming sir!" he shouted. A hand landed on his shoulder. Startled, Gaara jumped. Sasuke laughed as he wrapped his arm around Gaara's shoulders.

"I hope you don't mind," Sasuke said, indicating his arm as he leaned on Gaara fro support. "I'm finding I need a little help."

Gaara looked sheepish for all of one second before nodding and wrapping his arm around Sasuke's waist.

"Come on," he said, tugging Sasuke with him after Morino.


	5. Torture

Disclaimer: Do I have to keep saying it? ... still not mine

If: ... I'm totally inspired apparently. I've been listening to The Dresden Dolls new cd (totally addicted to it too) and I started being inspired to write. I also heard Coming Undone by Korn (love that song, and the band of course) and now I'm inspired for the next chapter, but that's the next chapter... Anyway, another chapter for your reading pleasure!

xCrAzYxGuRlx: Woo! I'm glad you're enjoying this! I totally agree with you about Gaara's inner demon (aka: Shukaku), he is the best part and should totally be used more often. Its fun to write crazy Gaara. And who knows what's happened to Sasuke. I'm sure we'll find out soon, though I have an inkling it won't be good.

wIthOUt A nAmE : lol, you so don't want to piss Gaara off. He's not stable. -; ... but yeah, thanks for the review!

Brooklyn'sGurl: Ah yes, Gaara's punishment... we'll find out won't we? And Gaara does have a dad. See, in the series his father was the Kazekage, but Orochimaru killed him off and pretended to be him. In this story Gaara's dad isn't dead... yet. (actually I have no idea if he'll die or not)

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Woo! I'm glad you're enjoying this so much! And I'm sure Kakashi will show up, it just might take him some time to get here (he is always late after all).

* * *

Torture:

Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion.

An instrument or a method for inflicting such pain.

Excruciating physical or mental pain; agony: _the torture of waiting in suspense._

Something causing severe pain or anguish.

**(Wikipedia)**

* * *

Gaara stared at the door in front of him. He had been here one too many times for the same reason that he was here this time. It was a conspiracy, he was sure of it. Just like aliens. The truth is out there you know, as Mulder would say. The universe was conspiring against him. That was it. That would explain this horribly unlucky day he was having. The universe hates him and his shirt was cursed. Gaara scowled. Sasuke was probably wondering why they were just standing outside the door and not actually going in the office. 

"Gaara Sabaku!" came the scream from inside the office. Gaara cringed inwardly. "Get in here! I know you're out there!"

Gaara sighed and turned the doorknob and pushed open the door. Pulling Sasuke after him, Gaara entered the cluttered and disorganized office. Keeping his eyes glued on the floor, Gaara noticed Sasuke staring at the principal out of the corner of his eye. Gaara couldn't suppress a short chuckle, which snapped Sasuke out of it. He caught Gaara's eye with his own and Gaara quickly turned away.

"So Gaara," the principal said, her voice booming in the cluttered and carpeted space surprisingly. "Who did you beat the crap out of this time?"

Gaara blanched. Surely she wasn't serious?

"And who's this nice looking guy hanging all over you?" she asked. Gaara twitched.

This wasn't happening to him. Really. Nothing remotely like this was happening right now. Surely she would know by Sasuke's split lip (which he really should get looked at, Gaara noted) and the way he was leaning heavily on Gaara that he was obviously the one he had been "beating the crap" out of.

"My name's Sasuke Uchiha," Sasuke said, breaking the somewhat awkward silence. "And I'm the one he was fighting."

Gaara snorted. Surely the principal was right this one time in saying that Gaara had "beat the crap" out of him. Gaara shook his head; pride was such a crazy thing.

"Gaara!" startled, Gaara looked up. Blinking a few times, Gaara always seemed to find it hard not to stare at the giant boobs the principal had. Gaara glared at Tsunade.

"What?" he snarled. Tsunade glared right back, her tone becoming icy.

"Did you really beat _this_ guy up?" Tsunade asked somewhat incredulously. Gaara twitched.

"Yes," Gaara said. He felt Sasuke stiffen at this and turn to glare at him. "What?"

"You did not beat me up," Sasuke said, offended. Gaara barked out a laugh.

"Like hell I didn't. Look at you! You have a split lip and you can barely stand without help! I'd say that's beaten up," Gaara retorted, once again getting annoyed by the Uchiha. Sasuke's glare intensified.

Mumbling something Sasuke sniffed and turned his head away from Gaara. Gaara snorted again.

"Just like I thought. You can't deny it you bastard," Gaara said smugly. Sasuke turned to glare grim death at him.

"I'll kick your ass next time Sabaku," Sasuke stated. Gaara started laughing. Sasuke was getting angry. "Anyway, I would have won if you hadn't gone all crazy scary on me."

Gaara shut up immediately and Tsunade leaned forward in her chair and across her desk. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the awkward silence.

"Gaara?" Tsunade prodded gently. Gaara looked at the ground again.

"I… I might have slipped up a bit," Gaara said, locking his eyes on the very interesting spot where something had spilled on the floor.

"'Slipped up a bit?'" Tsunade asked. Gaara's face darkened a bit.

"Yeah… Naruto stopped it before it got out of hand," Gaara replied, a small smile on his face. Sasuke felt a pang of jealousy. He wanted Gaara to think about him and smile softly like that, not Naruto.

"Well that's good at least…" Tsunade said, leaning back in her chair. "Now, what should I do with you two?"

Sasuke paled a bit, Itachi was going to kill him later if he got detention, or worse, suspension. Gaara just sighed at his side. Sasuke found himself wondering what it was that he had seen during lunch had really been that big of a deal. Was there something wrong with Gaara? What was going on? Why was Naruto the only one that could apparently stop whatever it was?

"I think I'll let you off the hook… this time," Tsunade said. Both teens' heads shot up to stare at her, stunned. "But you need to be careful Gaara, one more time and you will be expelled, not even I can stop that. And you, Yusuke…"

"Sasuke," Sasuke interjected. Tsunade waved a hand at him.

"Fine then, _Sasuke _be careful not to get into another fight, next time its detention for you," Tsunade said irritably. Sasuke heaved a sigh of relief. Tsunade squinted at him, as if noticing him for the first time. Gaara raised one of his invisible eyebrows and Sasuke felt very uncomfortable at the scrutiny he was receiving. Finally, a light went on above Tsunade's head.

"You're the brat's friend!" she exclaimed. Gaara brought a hand to his face. Sasuke just looked confused. Surely he knew who she meant by "brat." Sasuke still looked like he was missing a piece of a jigsaw. Gaara couldn't believe these people.

"You mean the dobe?" Sasuke asked eventually. Gaara rolled his eyes. It had taken the Uchiha long enough.

"Why can't you people just say Naruto?" Gaara asked, exasperated by the whole situation. Tsunade and Sasuke both glared at him.

"Because Gaara dear, we like to torture you," Tsunade said. Gaara's face went blank, even his eyes.

"I never refer to him by his real name…" Sasuke muttered. Gaara turned to him.

"Why?" he asked, unable to stop himself.

"Don't know. I called him dobe when we met in elementary school and I haven't called him anything else every since," Sasuke said, pleased that Gaara wanted to know something about him. Sasuke shrugged.

"Why did you call him that?" Gaara said, entirely too interested for his own good, and totally forgetting that Tsunade was there.

"Because he had been trying to get a block out from under a pile of toys, and didn't notice that if he pulled on it the whole pile would collapse on him. He pulled it…" Sasuke said nostalgically, he could clearly see the chibi Naruto pulling on the block and the all of the toys falling on him. He snickered.

"That is pretty stupid," Gaara said a tiny smile on his face. Sasuke looked at him and his grin grew.

"Yup, so ever since then I've called him 'dobe.' He just seems to do stupid things," Sasuke said nodding his head. Gaara snorted.

"You're telling me? You've missed three years of stupid things," Gaara said, his smile becoming more visible. Sasuke was floating on Cloud 9.

"Oh? Like what?" Sasuke asked, honestly interested in what the dobe had done, and of course wanting to continue his conversation with Gaara, it really was the first conversation they had had without Gaara yelling at him.

"Could you two lovebirds move this out of my office?" Tsunade spoke up from her desk. Gaara's face turned slightly red and Sasuke's turned a lovely shade of pink. "As cute as you two are, I think Sasuke needs to see the nurse. Talk to Shizune in the office about getting a pass back to your classes."

With that Tsunade waved her hand dismissively at them. Gaara mumbled something and Sasuke had noticed his face was once again unreadable. Sasuke sighed, some day he would get rid of that mask so he could see just Gaara…

"Hello Gaara, long time no see," Shizune said as they exited the office. Gaara glared at her. "Need a pass?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied quickly, seeing that Gaara was going to snap at the poor girl. Shizune smiled at him.

"Hey Gaara, you caught yourself a good looking guy," Shizune said. Gaara sputtered incoherently for a while, and Sasuke just smirked, pulling Gaara closer. Gaara glared at him, ignoring Shizune's laughter.

"Would you just get us some passes?" Gaara growled. "He needs to get to the nurse."

Shizune, still chuckling, looked up at Sasuke and frowned. She looked down and rummaged through her desk, grabbing some passes.

"You know how these work Gaara," she said. Gaara nodded and reached for the passes. Shizune suddenly winked and Gaara took the passes. "Don't let that cutie go."

Gaara froze on his way out of the office, turned and even though his face was slightly pink, managed to give her a glare that promised a slow and painful death. Sasuke laughed.

Once in the hallway, Gaara took a good look at Sasuke's face and instantly regretted it. His lip wasn't too horrible considering… it was split and the blood had stopped, but Gaara could see it on his chin and a bit on his shirt. Gaara was mildly surprised that Sasuke wasn't hollering about it hurting. But now that Gaara looked at it, the blood was going to drive him nuts. He was still slightly unstable from his close call of slipping mentally and the blood covering Sasuke's face was only making his barely stable mental state tip to the crazy side. Gaara had the urge to just lean over and lick the blood from Sasuke's face, and to bite his lip to make more of the elixir come out. Gaara shook his head. This wasn't good. They got about halfway down the hallway before Gaara lost control. He could swear he could smell it, and he couldn't stop looking.

Gaara slammed Sasuke into the lockers on the wall. Sasuke grunted at impact and opened his mouth to yell at Gaara, but he took one look at his face and stopped. Gaara had that crazed smirk on his face again. Sasuke watched as Gaara shook his head and his impassive face was once again in place. Gaara was trying his hardest to stay in control, but found himself leaning forward inevitably. He didn't even know how he had come to have Sasuke pinned against the lockers. Gaara could hear the music in his head, that crazy song that always signaled that he would be going off the deep end.

_Coin-operated boy  
sitting on the shelf  
he is just a toy  
but I turn him on  
and he comes to life  
automatic joy  
that is why I want  
a coin-operated boy_

Gaara's tongue peeked out from between his lips and Sasuke felt himself stop breathing. Sasuke stared as Gaara licked his chin, mixed feelings rushing through him. Part of him was loving this, wanting this so bad, but the other part was telling him that it was so wrong and that it wasn't really Gaara doing this. Sasuke also noted that he was licking the blood from his chin, not doing anything else. Sasuke shuddered. He could feel Gaara's hands pin him to the lockers and only had a split second to realize what was going to happen. Gaara's mouth closed over his own. Sasuke melted, but then felt Gaara bite down on his split lip. Sasuke cried out, but Gaara ignored him and started to suckle on his lip. Sasuke reluctantly tried to push Gaara away, and his feeble attempts seemed to spark something in Gaara.

Gaara pulled back from Sasuke as quickly as he could, covering his mouth with a hand and not believing what he had just done. Sasuke just stared at him.

"I… I'm sorry!" Gaara sputtered, turning and dashing down the hallway, stopping by the exit to the outside world. He turned. "Tell Tsunade that it got to me and that I went home!"

And with that he was gone, leaving behind a very confused and once again bleeding Sasuke.


	6. Coming Undone

**Disclaimer:** Not mine

**If:** Well... little slow on the update this time around, but I was having a little trouble trying to figure out how to do things just the way I wanted them... didn't turn out quite as I had hoped... but I hope y'all like it!

**Warning:** Umm... this chapter's dark... beware the angst among other things...

Brooklyn'sGurl: I find that I agree with you on the Gaara thing. You can't blame everything on a split personality. So I tried to figure out how to mess with that... don't know if it worked though... 'm glad you're liking it so far! Thanks for the reivews!

wIthOUt A nAmE: Ooo... I left someone speechless. Sweet.

Demonchildssister: He he he... don't worry about the reviewing thing. I've just been an updating maniac since I started this little project. I'm glad you're liking the way things are going and the way the characters are (I try my hardest to keep people IC as much as possible). Thanks for the review!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Wahh... we'll have to see how things go. I don't know if all of that'll be included in the story, but we'll see what happens. Thanks for the continuing support!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: Woo, thanks for the review!

Darka-Chan: I'm glad you're loving it! I try to please. :)

LETmeCRY: Sweet! I'm honored by your praise! Thanks so much!

Dark Willow aka Admiral2: Yes, poor Gaara... I'm afraid things are only going to get worse for the poor guy... Thanks for the wonderful review and kind words!

**

* * *

**

**"Coming Undone"**

_Keep holding on  
When my brain's tickin' like a bomb  
Guess the black thoughts have come Again to get me  
Sweet bitter words  
Unlike nothing I have heard  
Sing along mocking bird  
You don't affect me_

_  
That's right  
Deliverance of my heart  
Be straight  
Be deliberate _

Chorus  
Wait  
I'm coming undone  
Unlaced  
I'm coming undone  
Too late  
I'm coming undone  
What looks so strong  
So delicate  
Wait  
I'm starting to suffocate  
And soon I anticipate  
I'm coming undone  
What looks so strong  
So delicate

Choke choke again  
I thought my demons were my friends  
Getting me in the end  
They're out to get me  
Since I was young  
I've tasted sorrow on my tongue  
And this sweet chugga gun  
Does not protect me

That's right  
Trigger between my eyes  
Please strike  
Make it quick now

Chorus

I'm trying to hold it together  
Head is lighter than a feather  
Looks like I'm not getting better  
Not getting better

Chorus

**Coming Undone, by Korn**

* * *

Gaara was already clutching and pulling his hair by the time he got outside the building. The noise… the noise wouldn't stop. That song kept ringing in his head. Gaara knew he was losing it. That song always brought out the other him. Gaara knew that he always over-reacted when he lost control. He couldn't blame everything on his split personality. Gaara knew that his mind was just as dark. The edges of Gaara's mind were tinted in blood and that was all it would take to shove him over the edge into the other him. His mind was dark, Naruto had only created a place of light, had made it possible for Gaara to live outside of his dark and bloodthirsty self. Gaara wasn't completely saved, he was just handed a life jacket while still being stuck in the middle of the ocean and he knew it. 

Gaara stumbled down the street, barely noticing where he was going. He needed to get home, he needed to get away. He needed… his mind blanked.

Standing straight up and rolling his shoulders, Gaara's second personality reveled in his freedom. Grinning like a lunatic, Shukaku decided to head back to school and terrorize some students. Maybe he could make them bleed. He could even find that new guy… Shukaku had liked the taste of his blood. Turning on his heel, Shukaku started to head back to school. He managed two steps before he could feel Gaara clawing his way back to the surface. Shukaku growled he wasn't giving up his freedom, not now! He was free damn it! He was going to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting public!

Gaara blinked his eyes. It was getting worse. He needed to hurry. Turning around once again, Gaara started to run towards his house. Getting there as swiftly as possible, Gaara got to the driveway before collapsing. He had lost control of his legs. Gaara cursed and tried to pull himself towards the door, but his legs were trying to make him go back to school, anywhere but the house. Gaara struggled and pulled and somehow managed to get himself to the door. He had to get control of his legs back somehow. Gaara's face darkened. There was only one way.

Gaara looked around frantically, feeling every second that he was losing more control. Finally he spotted something that could work. Swallowing, Gaara reached out and grabbed the discarded pocket knife lying carelessly on the porch. Gaara vowed silently to thank whoever had left it there when he was sane again… if he was sane again. Flipping the knife open, Gaara grabbed hold of it and prepared to plunge it into his leg when he felt himself lose control of that arm. Gaara's eyes went wide and he was startled when the knife pressed itself against his throat.

_I'm not giving up that easily this time, boy_, the deep, sadistic voice rang in his head. This was the thing that scared Gaara the most, when _he_ talked to him.

"I'm not letting you take over!" Gaara shouted, thankful that his neighbors weren't home for the first time in his life. The knife pressed harder to his throat.

_You let me take over or I'm ending it for both of us. I don't care about dying, at least then I'd be free of you_, the voice sneered. Gaara took in a breath as the knife cut his skin shallowly, as if proving the voice's point.

"…" Gaara had nothing to say. Feeling that his other arm was still his to control, he brought it up and began the struggle for the knife.

* * *

Sasuke had finally snapped out of it and was on his way to the nurse's office. He was curious about what was going on with Gaara. Did this happen often? What did it all mean? What was going on? Sasuke decided it would be best to ask Naruto about it later. 

Stepping into the nurse's office, Sasuke nearly bolted at the sight of five fan girls.

"Sasuke-kun!" they yelled simultaneously. Sasuke flinched.

The nurse poked her head out of the side room and looked at Sasuke. Sasuke paled at her red eyes.

"I'll be with you in a second," she said, before disappearing once again. Sasuke shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself. A minute later, one Sakura Haruno popped out of the side room. Sasuke twitched.

"Sasuke-kun!" she yelled, running over to him. Sasuke braced himself for the impact that never came. Cracking open an eye he had shut, Sasuke saw that she was just grinning at him and that all the other fan girls were gone. Sasuke was surprised to say the least.

"Please come over here," the nurse said. Sasuke nodded and sat on the stool she indicated. Sakura followed and pulled up a chair across from him.

"Wow Sasuke-kun, he really did a number on you," Sakura pointed out. Sasuke just glared at her. Sakura sighed. "Look, I'm sorry I acted like I did earlier. Sometimes I still just get overwhelmed by you. You were my first love after all."

Sasuke just raised an eyebrow, flinching as the nurse, Kurenai, put some anti-septic on his lip.

"It's nice to see you again," Sakura said awkwardly. She looked to the ground. "Everyone was really worried about you, especially Naruto."

Sasuke lowered his eyes. He wasn't surprised.

"He really didn't like you for a while, but everyone soon recognized it as him just being extremely worried about you. You know he never liked that creep you went off with," Sakura said, her voice thinly veiling her disgust for Orochimaru. Sasuke grimaced. He wasn't ready to admit just yet that everyone had been right and he had been wrong.

"Yeah…" Sasuke muttered.

"There," Kurenai said. "You should be fine. Now both of you get back to class."

Sasuke nodded and Sakura tugged him towards the door. As soon as they were in the hallway she pinned him with a curious look.

"What happened to Gaara?"

* * *

Gaara was gasping for air. He wasn't sure how long he had been outside struggling with his inner demon, but he was sure it had been at least a few hours. His face, neck and arms were covered with cuts ranging from deep to shallow. Gaara knew he needed to get inside and get them bandaged, but the blood had only made the demon fight harder. Gaara was finally able to get inside. He pulled himself into the kitchen, discarding the knife in the sink before gazing at the calendar. Gaara flinched. Today was circled several times. Holding a hand to his head, Gaara wasn't sure if it had been circled because of Shukaku or if it was because of… 

"What the fuck are you doing here?" came the cruel voice of his father. Gaara's eyes went wide and he turned to face the man that caused him so much suffering. Apparently he wasn't going to wait for an explanation and came over to Gaara and smacked him across the face. Gaara put a hand to his cheek, his mental battle with Shukaku forgotten as he focused on his father, finally gaining full control over the creature within, only to deal with the creature without.

"I…" Gaara tried to say, but was shut up as a fist connected with his jaw, sending him backwards into the counter. Crying out in pain, Gaara collapsed to the ground. His father bent over, grabbed a handful of hair and started to pull him out of the kitchen. Gaara screamed and struggled to keep up with his father's pace to keep his hair for being pulled out. His father threw him into the living room, straight onto the glass coffee table. Gaara crashed through the thin glass, screaming as shards dug into his skin.

"You worthless piece of crap," he father said, grabbing a piece of glass. Gaara scrambled away from him, eyes wide and scared. He knew he could fight back, he knew that he could beat the man that was antagonizing him, but a lifetime of taking abuse had made him complacent and Gaara could only whimper and shy away in fear. Gaara's father stabbed the piece of glass into Gaara's thigh. Gaara bit his lip to keep from screaming again. He knew that any noise he made only fueled his father to be more violent and harsh. The first times he had been surprised.

"You piece of trash. Look what you've done! It wasn't enough for you to be born and take away the only good thing in my life, no! You had to stay alive, you had to need things. You don't deserve to be alive! You murderer! You who kill, you who torture! You aren't worth the air you breathe! Your life is meaningless. No one would miss you if you died and yet you live! Why don't you do us all a favor and end your pathetic excuse for a life! Nobody wants you to be alive!"

Gaara's heart stopped in his chest. It wasn't as if he hadn't heard this speech millions of times before, but suddenly it seemed as if it had finally dawned on him. Maybe his father was right. Gaara couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, the words were echoing in his head. Was he right? Did no one want him around? Was he truly unloved like his father said? Like Yashamaru had said?

Gaara's father grinned sadistically. He brought his fist back and brought it down on a piece of glass that was sticking out of Gaara's skin. The shard was shoved even farther in, causing more blood to flow. Gaara only whimpered. His father continued shoving the pieces of glass deeper into Gaara.

_He's right boy_, Gaara heard Shukaku say. _You are worthless, unloved, and unwanted. No one cares about you. How could they? You're a murderer. You lust for the blood of people; you enjoy the suffering of others. How could anyone love you? How could anyone care?_

Gaara screamed. He couldn't take it anymore!

* * *

Naruto looked at Sasuke skeptically out of the corner of his eye. There was something up, he just knew it. Why else would Sasuke ask if he could come over? Naruto narrowed his eyes and pondered what it could possibly be that the bastard wanted. He turned onto Gaara's street (living surprisingly close, just the next block over with the pervert). Naruto looked over at Sasuke again, who seemed to be in deep contemplative thought. Naruto sighed. He wondered what had happened to Gaara. He hadn't shown up for any of his afternoon classes, Naruto would know, he had every single one with him. Gaara had said once that he always looked forward to his afternoon classes because Naruto was in them… or maybe that had all been in Naruto's imagination. Naruto glanced at Gaara's house as the walked by it and stopped in his tracks. Sasuke didn't seem to notice at first but turned when he noticed Naruto wasn't by his side anymore. 

"Dobe?" he asked before turning to look at what Naruto was staring at in apparent horror. Sasuke's mouth fell open and his heart stopped cold in his chest. There, lying on his own front step was Gaara. Glass was peeking out of his clothes, his face was bruised and he was lying in a puddle of his own blood. Naruto was the first to move.

"Gaara!" he yelled, rushing over to his friend as fast as his legs could carry him. Sasuke followed numbly behind him at a slower pace. He noticed a set of tracks made in Gaara's blood leading to the driveway. Sasuke stared at them in disbelief, who would just walk away from Gaara when he was like that?

_The one who most likely did this to him_, a voice in his head said. Sasuke's eyes widened and he had to admit the voice was right. Reaching Naruto's side, Sasuke noticed how truly bad the situation was. Gaara was barely breathing. Sasuke panicked and pulled out his cell phone, quickly dialing 911. He hoped they would get here in time.

_Gaara..._


	7. Das Omen

**Disclaimer:** Es ist mein nicht (It is not mine)

**If:** Ah Inspiration you fickle thing. Y'all can thank the wonderful band E Nomine for this chapter, they inspired me. Their song "Das Omen" is used in here, and its not mine (though I love it so).

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GiveMeTheGaaraAndNoOneGetsHurt: w00t. I'm glad you're loving it and that the Gaara torture wasn't too much for ya (I was a bit worried about that). And sweet! I have a new fan:happy dance:

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Woo! Thanks a lot! I'm glad ya liked it so much!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: Yup, Gaara's dad's an evil bastard in my opinion... and suspense is awesome:evil laugh:... I mean horrible. :)

Brooklyn'sGurl: Yup, evil Gaara dad. He's just so creul to poor Gaa-chan. Thanks so much for thinking it turned out so great! I'm so glad you liked it (in all its violence)!

Jenanien: Ooo... I made someone cry. I may be twisted, but I've always wanted to bring that sort of emotion out in my readers by my stories...

* * *

Du bist mein Heiligtum (_You are my sanctuary_)  
Du bist mein Licht im Raum (_You are my light in the room_)  
Du bist das Leben (_You are the life_)  
Du bist der Fluch (_You are the curse_)  
Du bist das Omen (_You are the omen_)

* * *

Gaara's eyes blinked open. He wasn't where he expected to be… in fact he wasn't even when he was supposed to be. Not trying to figure out the logistics of it all, Gaara tried to get up from the bed he was apparently lying on. He realized two things when he sat up, he wasn't who he was now, and he knew where he was. This day was burned into his mind, etched into his very memory, a day that he could never forget. Suddenly he didn't want to get up. He wanted to lie back down, he wanted to wake up. Anything would be better than reliving this day. Unfortunately, Gaara's body had a mind of its own and was getting up.

_No!_ Gaara screamed in his mind. _Anything but this! Don't make me relive this! Don't do this to me!_

His cries went unheard and his small, six year old body moved of its own accord. He knew what would happen, he could never forget. He would get up; he would go downstairs and eat breakfast, a small hitch in his step and the tiniest of smiles on his face. Everything would seem right with the world for a while. The world was a happy place for once, and little Gaara wouldn't be able to keep his happiness from shinning through. Today was the day, today was the day his uncle, the one person who cared about him, would visit.

Temari and Kankuro were nice to him; his father was nowhere to be seen. It was a beautiful Sunday and it would only get better… that was what he had thought at least.

Yashamaru… his uncle on his mother's side. A mother he had never known, never seen and never loved. It was imprinted in his mind from the moment that he was born that he would not be loved. He had been pushed aside, put in an incubator as the family crowded around his mother's bed as she lay dieing. As she had died, she had said something, something little six year old Gaara didn't know as of yet. All Gaara knew was that he was not wanted anymore the second his mother died. He was not loved the moment she breathed her last breath. His life had just begun and already he was hated.

But none of that mattered today. Today was the day he was acknowledged. Today was the day the one person that cared about him would visit. Gaara looked forward to Yashamaru's visits with an almost fanatical glee. Visits from his uncle made him feel human; they made him feel as if he wasn't some cursed demon child born from Satan. They made him feel alive.

So little six year old Gaara trapezed down the stairs, blissfully unaware of the tragedy that would befall him, while the Gaara of the future, the Gaara who had lived through this, tried desperately to get away.

Gaara was tugged down the stairs, unable to break away, unable to escape. He had to live through it once more, something he never wanted to deal with ever again. His body sat at the table, smiling quietly as he picked at the food set before him, too excited to eat. He jumped around the house while waiting for Yashamaru to come. He was pleased to notice that Temari and Kankuro actually looked happy for him. And then the doorbell rang.

Gaara froze in place and for a moment he thought he had grabbed hold of his six year old body, before he ran to the door. Gaara couldn't think, he couldn't speak, he couldn't even struggle as the door was hastily shoved open and there before him was Yashamaru. Yashamaru…

"Yashamaru!" little Gaara cried out, so happy that his uncle was there that even the Gaara of the future almost felt it. Yashamaru smiled at him in that soft way of his.

"Hello Gaara-sama," he said. Little Gaara grinned and jumped into Yashamaru's waiting arms. Gaara screamed in his head.

_No! Get away! Leave me alone! Don't touch me!_

(_You are my sanctuary)_

Little Gaara cried he was so happy. Yashamaru was his light in the darkness of the world he lived in. Yashamaru shed light on the dark places in his heart, scaring away the demons that lived there, keeping him firmly sane. He was the only one who would bring a smile to his face. The light in his world.

(_You are the light in my room)_

Yashamaru entered the house with Gaara still in his arms, spinning him around once there was room. Little Gaara laughed with all his heart. Gaara's heart wrenched. It hurt him to see, to feel how happy he had been to see Yashamaru. Yashamaru set little Gaara on the ground and Gaara could almost see how the room felt different. The sun seemed to shine brighter, the shadows were smaller, and everything was perfect. There was nothing wrong with the world.

(_You are the life_)

Little Gaara had run over to the closet to grab some board games and cards as Yashamaru had gone to the living room, greeting Temari and Kankuro as he did. Gaara watched, seemingly detached from his six year old body, as he grabbed _Life, Monopoly,_ and a regular deck of cards, after thinking about it for a moment, little Gaara also grabbed _Uno_. Rushing to the living room, where he knew they'd all be waiting, Gaara arrived hardly a minute after Yashamaru had set him on the ground.

Minutes turned to hours and Gaara felt his heart break every time Yashamaru smiled, at every kind word. If he could, he knew he'd be crying, huddled in on himself in the fetal position just wishing the whole world away. He didn't want to live through this again. Hadn't once been punishment enough?

Finally the hour arrived. Little Gaara had looked up at the clock, and Gaara was loathe to notice that it was 5pm. He heard the front door open. He watched with a detached horror as his father walked into the living room. His father motioned for Yashamaru to follow him into the kitchen. Temari and Kankuro turned to face little Gaara.

"So Gaara, are you happy?" Temari asked a kind smile on her face. Gaara nodded exuberantly. "I'm glad."

"Yeah squirt," Kankuro added, messing up Gaara's hair (though you can't really mess his hair up). Gaara laughed, one of the only times he had done so around his siblings. They looked taken aback for a moment, but quickly joined in. Gaara felt his pain cut through his heart like a knife. It hurt so much. It was unbearable, this pain.

Yashamaru once again entered the room, looking for a moment just as scared as Gaara suddenly felt, even though little Gaara was feeling ten times as happy as he had before. Gaara's father entered after Yashamaru and Gaara felt some of the happiness drain from his younger self.

"Temari, Kankuro," Gaara's father said. Both instantly came to attention, listening intently to what their father had to say. "We're going out to a show tonight. Yashamaru is going to stay here."

Gaara didn't even flinch when his own father didn't even acknowledge him, it was something he was used to, even little Gaara was used to it. Little Gaara seemed to realize what had just been said, and turned to grin widely at Yashamaru, who could barely manage to turn his lips up in return.

Gaara waved goodbye to his brother and sister as they left before turning and closing the door. He was so excited to spend the night with Yashamaru. He skipped into the kitchen and together with his uncle, made dinner.

Time passed as quickly as Gaara could comprehend. One moment passed in the blink of an eye and suddenly it was 7pm. Gaara was sitting in front of the television, happily watching some mind numbing program on who knows what. Wondering where Yashamaru had gone, little Gaara got up from the couch. Gaara snapped out of his haze of trying to ignore what was going on. Little Gaara had just gotten to the kitchen and had noticed Yashamaru sitting at the table.

_No! Get away from him! Run away!_ Gaara shouted, desperately trying to make little Gaara leave, anything to get away from this moment, this betrayal.

"Yashamaru?" little Gaara asked tentatively. Yashamaru turned his head slowly, his eyes as blank as his face. Little Gaara started to feel scared. Gaara watched in horror as Yashamaru stood, butcher's knife in hand, and came to stand in front of little Gaara. He crouched down before his nephew and placed his hands on both his shoulders.

"Demon," he whispered. Little Gaara's eyes grew wide as saucers. Yashamaru pulled back, withdrawing his hands from Gaara's shoulders.

"Demon," he repeated a little more firmly, bringing the arm up that held the knife. Little Gaara backed up, tripping over his own feet and falling onto his backside.

"Demon," Yashamaru growled. "Murderer."

Little Gaara backed up, scooting away from his uncle, sure that the man had gone insane. Yashamaru looked at him for the first time, really looked at him, and Gaara saw the eyes of a mad man. Little Gaara managed to scramble to his feet and rushed out of the kitchen, Yashamaru trailing closely behind him.

"Yashamaru!" little Gaara cried. He had somehow backed himself into a wall. Yashamaru hovered over him, sadistic grin in place. The knife was raised up and it suddenly dawned on little Gaara that his uncle was going to kill him.

(_You are the curse_)

"Die!" Yashamaru shouted, bringing the butcher's knife down, intending on burying it in Gaara's shoulder.

"NOO!" Gaara shouted, and suddenly it was his voice, it was his body lying helpless for Yashamaru to slice. Gaara pushed himself to the side, as he did back then, the knife only grazing his left arm. Gaara cried out, but got to his feet, ignoring the pain in his shoulder and scrambling towards the door. If he could get out, he could get away… but he knew that Yashamaru was following him, he knew that he would catch up to him. Gaara could feel the hot tears running down his face. The knife buried itself into his back, but not deep enough to kill him. Gaara screamed. The Pain! The Pain!

"You little demon! You killed her! You killed my sister!" Yashamaru yelled. Gaara cried and pulled himself towards the door, tears blinding him as he made his way.

"She never loved you! She carried you, she gave you life! And how do you repay her! You kill her!" Yashamaru went on barely noticing as Gaara managed to get the door open and fell out onto the patio. He stalked behind his nephew as Gaara pulled himself down the driveway, leaving a trail of blood as he went.

"Do you know what she said as she lay dying?" Gaara started to sob as he reached the sidewalk. "She said that your name was Gaara. "He who loves only himself." She cursed your name. She cursed you!"

Gaara barely made it to the street. He couldn't take it. It hurt so much, and the words were just as painful as the knife that had been stabbed into his back. He sobbed and curled into a ball, trying desperately to ignore the hateful words being spit at him.

"You are a child whom no one loves! You are a demon!" Yashamaru cried grabbing the knife from Gaara's back. Gaara screamed again, fresh blood pouring from the wound and Gaara knew he couldn't last long at the rate he was losing blood. Yashamaru laughed.

(_You are the omen_)

"I never loved you! How could I love the thing that killed my most precious sister!" he yelled and crossed so that he was standing in the road as well. Gaara knew that this was the end for him. "I hate you!"

The headlights were the only warning Gaara got before Yashamaru was crushed. Gaara watched in horrified silence as the pickup truck rammed into his uncle, sending him flying. The truck couldn't stop and there was a sickening thump as the front tires ran over his body. Gaara screamed.

* * *

Sasuke could hear screaming. He was sitting outside of Gaara's hospital room, hopelessly worried about the red haired boy. The doctor had said that he wasn't in critical condition, but that he was still far from stable. The screams had startled him out of his zoned out state. Naruto was soundly asleep next to him, being exhausted from all the stress that had been thrust upon him from the situation with Gaara. When Sasuke heard a scream again, he distinctly heard that it was Gaara's voice. Jumping from his chair, Sasuke rushed into the other boy's room. Gaara was thrashing on the bed, crying and screaming. Sasuke dashed to his side.

"Gaara!" he cried. Taking the red head's hands in his own, he kept the other boy from tearing at the bandages that covered his whole body. Gaara continued to thrash and struggle, so Sasuke did the only thing he could think of, he pulled the boy into an embrace. The struggling stopped and soon all Sasuke could hear was uneven breathing. Pulling back slightly, Sasuke stared in astonishment as tears ran down the scarred face. Sasuke couldn't let him go now; there was no way he could.

* * *

A bright light surrounded Gaara, embracing him in an all encompassing gentleness unlike any Gaara had known. That night faded away, the wounds on his body, the form of his uncle, the horrid words ringing in his head, all of it faded away in the bright light.

_So this is what its like to be loved..._


	8. Hospitals

**Disclaimer:** I own Naruto as much as I own the mall downtown.

**If:** Oi... bit of a longer wait this time around eh? Sorry 'bout that. Got caught up in school and all that. ... Might not be able to update again till next week either (damn school)... but anyway, hope y'all enjoy this chapter!

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Demonchildssister: lol, I'm an updating maniac when I'm inspired like I am now. Power to my imagination not letting me not post/write things when they pop into my brain. 

Dark Dragon34: Woo! I'm glad you're liking meh story! Thanks for the review!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: Wow, tears to your eyes eh? That's pretty cool. I'm glad I moved you so, and glad that you love meh story! Thanks for the review!

LETmeCRY: Wahh... I'm so glad you liked my flashback! I was worried it would be a bit confusing... Thanks for the review!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Woo! I just love getting your reviews! I'm glad you liked the chapter! Thanks a bunch!

Brooklyn'sGurl: I'm pretty sure we'll be finding out why Yashamaru does what he did soon. I'm glad you liked that line at the end, I hadn't put it in originally, but I'm glad I did put it in. Thanks for the reviews! I love hearing from you!

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Vater unser  
der Du bist im Himmel  
Geheiligt werde Dein Name  
Dein Reich komme  
Dein Wille geschehe  
Wie im Himmel als auch auf Erden  
Und vergib uns unsre Schuld  
Wir auch wir vergeben unsern Schuldigern 

Vater höre meine Stimme

In nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti  
Amen

(Vater Unser (the Lord's Prayer), E Nomine)

* * *

Sasuke was curious to say the least. He was curious, he was angry and he was nervous, too many emotions for an Uchiha to be feeling. Actually, the more he thought about it, he shouldn't feel any emotions if he were to truly call himself an Uchiha. But all that was aside from the point. Sasuke was just full of emotions because of one boy, one guy that he barely knew. How could one person create so many emotions in someone? How was it he was nearly torn apart with worry because of Gaara? 

There were too many questions he needed to ask, there were too few things known, too little information, and no explanations in sight. He couldn't ask Gaara, Gaara was in a comatose state, he had been in one since he got to the hospital four days ago. Sasuke couldn't ask Gaara's family, they had never shown up. He couldn't even ask Naruto, every time he tried to ask something the blonde came up with some excuse to leave the room. Sasuke was frustrated to say the least.

The doctors had said that Gaara should have woken up after he had come out of OR, but he never had. After hearing those screams that first night, Sasuke couldn't bring himself to leave Gaara's side. He also found out that after that night, which was spent holding the red head, he couldn't come out of contact with Gaara. Every time Sasuke would let go of the red head's hand, which he had started doing so he wouldn't have to be lying with the hurt boy, the nightmares would start again. It would start with whimpering, which would gradually increase into frightened screams. No one else but Sasuke could stop Gaara from screaming once he started. So Sasuke had resigned himself to staying by Gaara's side twenty-four hours a day. Luckily for him though, Naruto came back after school the day after they had found Gaara and taken the red head's hand. When Sasuke had let go, Gaara hadn't started to whimper. Relieved, Sasuke left the room for the first time in over twelve hours. Thus a pattern developed. Naruto would come to visit for an hour before school, would come back after school and stay until visiting hours were over. During this time Sasuke would leave the room and take care of eating and using the restroom. He was eternally grateful that Naruto could also calm the red head, he didn't know what he would have done if Naruto wasn't able to do so.

Sasuke had expected Gaara's parents and family to show up that first night, and was definitely not expecting to stay by the red head's side for four days. When Gaara's family hadn't shown up that first night, Sasuke had passed it off as they were at work or didn't know or something (it had rained after all, the blood would be washed away, on the outside at least). But when they hadn't shown up at all the next day, Sasuke got angry and suspicious. He tried to ask Naruto about it, but Naruto had suddenly become very silent and had said he needed to go home. To say that Sasuke was suspicious of something would be a gross understatement. Sasuke didn't like being left in the dark, especially about something like this, where Gaara's life had been at stake. Wouldn't they notice that their son was gone? Shouldn't they have notified the authorities or called one of Gaara's friends (though the only friend Sasuke knew Gaara had was Naruto)?

Sasuke didn't like this situation one bit. First it was Gaara in all his mystery. Then it was Gaara's conspicuously missing family. On top of it all, Sasuke hated hospitals. Sasuke had been to hospitals a few too many times in the last three years to like them very much. Sasuke had blocked most of those horrendous memories from his brain, but he found that being in a hospital made it very hard to deny that they had happened. Some things were meant to be buried and forgotten, why couldn't he forget them now?

So Sasuke's life became nothing. He sat in the hospital room, holding Gaara's hand, and wondering what was going on. Questions flooded his mind, overwhelming him at times. At other times it was memories that were overcoming his senses, reminding him of times and places he would rather not remember, leaving him in a crying mess. Sasuke didn't like being so weak.

The fourth day started as normal as was to be expected. Sasuke got his breakfast and made a beeline to the bathroom when Naruto showed up. Sasuke couldn't seem to eat, or at least to hold food down. The dreams that had haunted his sleep that night were still haunting him that morning and food wasn't a pleasant thing to be seeing or eating. Naruto hadn't asked him what the problem was, for which Sasuke was eternally grateful.

The time between Naruto's visits was spent reading a book one of the nurses had been kind enough to bring for him. It was a murder mystery by Agatha Christy. Sasuke was very engrossed in the book. The story kept his mind off the problems he was facing at the moment, and the thoughts and dreams plaguing his existence.

Naruto had come back around three that afternoon. After taking up Gaara's other hand, Naruto had indicated that Sasuke could go do his thing. Letting go of Gaara's hand somewhat reluctantly, he had gotten attached over the time spent holding it, Sasuke stood from his chair. He stretched and then turned to leave. As he exited he noticed another blonde at the counter, but ignored her and headed off to the bathroom and mess hall.

Naruto had picked up his own book, planning on reading during his visit this time around to avoid Sasuke's questions. He pulled his book out of his bag, a horror book by Steven King. Though horror wasn't normally his book topic of choice, Naruto had fallen in love with this book:_ Misery._ Naruto was totally creeped out beyond belief and yet totally drawn into the book. He barely heard the door click open as he started to read. Looking up, Naruto was surprised to find it wasn't Sasuke in the doorway, but Temari.

"Temari?" the blonde questioned. The other blonde, who had her hair in four ponytails, took a step forward into the light. Naruto noticed that she was wearing jeans and a black shirt that he was pretty sure was actually Gaara's. Temari had even gone so far that she had outlined her eyes in black. Naruto was a bit surprised at her appearance.

"How… how is he?" she asked tentatively. Naruto looked over at his friend's unconscious and unaware form, peacefully sleeping.

"He's healing physically, but I'm afraid his mental state isn't that great," Naruto said looking down as he did so.

"What do you mean?" Temari asked, worried and nervous about the answer.

"I mean, he was supposed to wake up three days ago and that if I or Sasuke don't hold his hand he starts to scream and thrash and try to…" Naruto couldn't finish that sentence. He looked up at Temari, who had tears in her eyes.

"He… unconsciously is trying to kill himself?" she stuttered, Naruto nodded his head. Temari took three steps and collapsed into Sasuke's chair.

"I don't know what he keeps seeing behind those closed eyes of his, but it can't be good," Naruto said, bringing his other hand up to stroke Gaara's cheek lovingly.

"No… it certainly can't be," she murmured. Naruto looked up from Gaara's face to stare at her.

"Does that mean…" he started. Temari cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"What I can tell you is this: father hasn't been drunk lately, he's banned us from coming here and … and he's been scarily happy about it all," she said, faltering at the last bit. Naruto stared at her, horrified.

"It seems like he wants to remember and savor it," Temari went on. She brushed her hand through Gaara's hair. "I don't even know what happened…"

"All I know is that we found him in a puddle of his own blood on your front porch. There was a ton of glass embedded into his skin and we were afraid that he wasn't going to make it," Naruto said. Temari frowned.

"That would explain the new carpeting and coffee table in the living room," she mumbled. Naruto's mouth pressed into a firm line.

"He threw him through the coffee table," he growled. Naruto fisted his hand in Gaara's bed sheets, having taken his hand from Gaara's face. "If I could I'd get him out of there."

"So would I, and so would Kankuro, who is distracting father at the moment so I can visit," Temari said. "But no one can ever get evidence on him. And Gaara won't testify against him, he's too scared of what would happen."

Naruto sighed heavily. "Maybe this will change his mind."

"I doubt it, this sort of thing has happened before," Temari said darkly. Naruto glared. "I mean the hospital part."

Naruto growled.

"Father won't even pay for it. Gaara's not even covered by the insurance," Temari said. She frowned and caressed Gaara's face again.

Naruto stood, knocking over his chair in the process. He clenched his fists, momentarily forgetting about Gaara's hand in his.

"He shouldn't be able to get away with this!" he shouted, forgetting where he was. The door opened and Sasuke re-entered the room.

"… Naruto, who's this?" Sasuke asked. Naruto paled and Temari turned around. Temari blinked several times before looking to Naruto.

"This is Temari," Naruto said. Sasuke blinked a few times before nodding to Temari. Temari smiled.

"And who are you?" she asked. Sasuke just looked at her, face blank.

"Sasuke," he said. Temari nodded and grinned.

"So, how do you know my brother?" she asked. Sasuke turned to her and stared, wide eyed before turning to Naruto and leveling him with a deadly glare. Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Temari is Gaara's older sister," Naruto said sheepishly. Sasuke turned to glare at her.

"Where the fuck have you people been? He's been here for four days! Don't you people care!" Sasuke suddenly exploded. Both Naruto and Temari were taken aback by the outburst. Temari narrowed her eyes at Sasuke.

"Who are you to criticize me? What do you know about our family!" she yelled in return. Sasuke growled at her.

"Would you two calm down!" Naruto shouted, looking nervously at Gaara, who was still sleeping peacefully. Sasuke and Temari instantly shut up, turning to look at the peaceful seeming red head.

"Jeez… fine Sasuke, you wanted to know what was going on, and now you'll know," Naruto said. Sasuke's eyes widened. Temari got up from Sasuke's chair and guided him to it.

"You're going to want to sit through this," she said kindly. Sasuke just frowned in confusion.

"I don't know if Gaara will be too pleased with me revealing all of this, but in this situation it's unavoidable," Naruto murmured. He gave the red head's hand a squeeze.

"You should probably take over Sasuke, I'm going to need to gesticulate," Naruto said. Sasuke grabbed Gaara's hand in both of his. Temari raised an eyebrow.

"Are you my brother's boyfriend or something?" she asked. Sasuke just looked at her, stunned. Naruto laughed.

"He's not Temari, but from the way he's been acting I'm pretty sure he wants to be," Naruto said. Sasuke glared at the blonde. Temari chuckled a bit. She left for the moment and dragged a chair in from the hallway.

"Alright Naruto, why don't you start? I'm sure Gaara would like it better if you tell him instead of me," she said. Naruto nodded.

"Alright Sasuke, I'm not going to tell you a lot of things, but I will tell you the general idea of what's going on. Some things you're going to have to figure out on your own. Maybe when Gaara wakes up he'll fill in the holes I'll leave, but we won't know until he wakes up," Naruto said. Sasuke nodded.

"So let's begin."


	9. Past Tense

**Disclaimer:** Hmm... Naruto is mine. Yup. ... But not really.

**If:** Well... its been a while for meh. Wow, me not having a chapter up within a few days... scary. Theoretically I'll be back to my crazy updating schedule of DOOM!... but we'll see. Most likely I will. But anyway... Hope you like it! R&R As they say.

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Brooklyn'sGurl: Waahh... I have the overwhelming urge to just hug you. I'm so happy you like my writing style. :) And we'll see how Sasuke trully reacts to this soon. I'm pretty sure by the end of this it still hasn't sunk in. Thanks so much for the continued support!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : As always I love getting your reviews! We'll see just how this all goes, and what Sasu and Gaa are going to react to each other. Thanks so much for the ongoing support and encouragement!

LETmeCRY: lol... I'd feel terribly sorry for the poor guy if he could have never left Gaa's side, simply for the pain his stomach must be enduring. Thanks for the review! Much luv!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX:Of course Sasu cares so much about Gaara! He just hasn't realized it... yet. Mwa ha ha ha... o.O... Anyways, thanks for the review!

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I am hoping I can find  
where to leave my hurt behind  
All this shit I seem to take  
all alone I seem to break  
I have lived the best I can  
Does this make me not a man?

**Alone I Break - Korn**

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"Well, to begin, Gaara doesn't exactly have a happy home life… which you've obviously figured out since you're looking at me like I've just told you that the world is round…" Naruto said. "You bastard…"

"Would you get on with it Naruto!" Temari exclaimed. Naruto and Sasuke stopped their glaring match and blinked, looking at Temari. Naruto cleared his throat.

"Anyway… Gaara's life sucks," he stated. Temari deadpanned at him and Sasuke just looked at him. "You see, Gaara's mother died shortly after Gaara was born. Gaara's "father" was never quite the same after that. I personally like to think that he cracked mentally. But anyway, Gaara's mother had been having problems with Gaara's birth the whole time, so when he was finally born it was more of a relief than anything else. The nurses bundled him up and moved him to the baby place. No one really was happy that he was born; they were all worried about Gaara's mother, who wasn't doing too well. She was able to name the baby Gaara and then died. It was then that Gaara's father decided that he couldn't love the child that killed his beloved wife, even if that child was her last one. So after they had gotten Gaara's mother taken care of, they told the family to wait and they would get the baby. The second the nurse left, Gaara's father forced the family to leave as well. Luckily, or unluckily, the nurse caught them before they had a chance to leave the building, catching them at the door. Gaara's father wouldn't even touch the baby, so it was up to Gaara's uncle on his mother's side, Yashamaru to take the baby.

"From that time on Gaara's father had as little to do with Gaara as possible. He didn't even raise his own son, forcing it upon his brother in-law Yashamaru. The only impacts that he made were that of violence and abuse. Gaara's mind and body will never recover from the abuse he has suffered. His father pounded into his head that he was worthless, unwanted, a demon and a murder. Gaara couldn't do anything but accept these words, he was a child, he didn't know better, and no one told him otherwise. He wasn't allowed to be around his siblings without Yashamaru or his father present. His own sister and brother were strangers to him. The only person who knew he existed and was kind to him was Yashamaru.

"Yashamaru was the light in his world of perpetual darkness. The sun in that made the flowers bloom. When Yashamaru was around little Gaara was practically happy. There was nothing he wouldn't give to be around his uncle. His uncle, who cared about him and told him of all the things in the world, He explained what it was like to love, what it felt like to love, what friends were, the reason why Gaara would cry. Yashamaru would clean the scars that his father would leave. He would bandage cuts, and ice bruises. To Gaara, Yashamaru was the father that his own father wasn't.

"All of this changed when Gaara was six. At the tender age of six everything Gaara had thought he knew wouldn't be anymore. The world flipped around, black became white and all colors would be inverted. For at the age of six, Gaara's father arranged to have him killed," Naruto paused to get a drink. Sasuke tried to process all of this. It just wasn't sinking in. He couldn't comprehend it; he couldn't see how a father would want his own son dead. His own father hadn't nearly been as cruel; he just ignored him and never acknowledged him, trying to have him killed would have just been too much. Sasuke couldn't comprehend it.

"Yes, he wanted to get rid of the black spot in his existence," Naruto started again. "The demon child would die and that would be final.

"The whole thing was arranged on the fly one night. Gaara's father had already arranged for Yashamaru to come over that night to take care of the demon known as Gaara. Gaara's father was taking his two children (he didn't think of Gaara as his child, never had, he though of him as his curse) out for dinner and a movie for the night. Gaara was ecstatic to get the whole night with Yashamaru.

"But the reality is so harsh. Yashamaru had never loved Gaara. When he came that night, Gaara's father pulled him away from the children and asked him to kill his son," Naruto paused again to let Sasuke soak in the information he was giving him and to take another drink. Sasuke just stared at Gaara.

"The reality was the one person Gaara thought cared about him, loved him, and really never did. Yashamaru was much in the same boat as Gaara's father. He hated the child that had killed his sister, his most important person. He had tried to care about the child, in honor of his sister, but he found that it only made him hate him more. No matter what he did, he couldn't find it within himself to care about the hell spawn that had killed his most beloved sister.

"So when Gaara's father approached him to kill his son, Yashamaru quickly agreed," Naruto stopped again. He turned to Gaara and gently stroked his head.

"Poor Gaara didn't know a thing. All he knew was that Yashamaru would be staying for the night and that he would get to spend time with him. He loved his uncle…

"I'm afraid I can't tell you much of what happened though, Gaara just told me the barest minimum of facts. Yashamaru tried to kill him with a butcher's knife. That's what I know, that's what he told me, but that's all I know. Though I do have a feeling that he ended up here after the whole ordeal…" Naruto trailed off. Sasuke felt a dull, throbbing pain in his chest. The emotions he was feeling for this boy he barely knew, they were overwhelming. He just wanted to hold him and protect him from the world. He wanted to make everything right for this broken boy.

"We found them in the street," Temari said, Sasuke and Naruto barely hearing her. "Gaara… he had somehow managed to get outside and drag himself to the street. Yashamaru had followed him. I don't know how Gaara could have gotten out… Yashamaru had already slashed him, and stabbed him through the back. When we got there, Gaara was barely breathing and Yashamaru was dead, he was hit by a car."

Sasuke and Naruto just stared at her then turned to Gaara.

"He… he must have been too busy focusing on Gaara to notice the car coming towards him. The driver had called the ambulance and it was already on its way. Father was furious. He pulled us inside and I remember getting a look at the living room… there was blood on the wall and the floor. As I looked down I saw that my own feet had stepped in a puddle of it by the door," Temari continued. She looked down and covered her face in her hands.

"Father… he told us that it was all Gaara's fault. That it had been _Gaara_ who was trying to kill _Yashamaru_. We didn't know any better… we were only children… so we believed him…" Temari sniffled. Sasuke stared at her incredulously and Naruto had taken up looking out the window again. "It was so glaringly obvious that it wasn't Gaara who was the bad one… but we didn't know. We hated him for the longest time… I'll never be able to make it up to him. The things we've done… the things we did!"

Naruto walked over to her and patted her shoulder. Temari was sobbing now. Sasuke felt his face soften; it was depressing to see her this way. He turned away from the sobbing girl to look back at the boy in the bed.

Gaara was so pale, paler than he normally was. His red hair was in sharp contrast to his near white skin and the white and pastel color of the room. Sasuke once again felt the urge to just wrap Gaara up in his arms and protect him, steal him away from the cruel world. Sasuke wanted to hold him close forever… but then realized the implications of what he had just thought. He seriously couldn't be that serious about a guy he had just met… could he?

Gaara's eyes fluttered.

Sasuke frowned. No… he wasn't that serious… was he? He couldn't be. But… as he looked at the boy in the bed he could tell that he was. He had never felt this way about anyone, and Sasuke knew that he really was serious.

Gaara's eyes twitched.

Naruto moved back to the window after a while and contented himself with staring out into space as he comprehended everything. Temari sat in her chair, holding back the tears that were threatening once more to overflow, and Sasuke turned to watch Gaara's face, a pastime he was loathe to admit he had acquired.

Gaara's eyes cracked open minimally, before slowly opening all the way.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw those jade eyes. It seemed like he hadn't seen them in years and his heart felt light and giddy in his chest.

"Gaara?" he asked tentatively. Naruto furrowed his brow and turned around.

"Gaara?" he saw the red head blinking, trying to clear his blurry vision. "Gaara!"

Temari's head snapped up and she rushed to the bed. "Gaara!"

Gaara winced at the loud voices, but blinked the blurriness out of his eyes. He turned his head to the side; there were his two favorite blondes.

"Naru? Temari?" he questioned. Both started grinning and tears rolled down his sisters face, Gaara knew Naruto was trying his hardest not to cry by the way moisture was gathering in the corners of his eyes. Turning his head to the other side Gaara blinked several times in disbelief. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke grinned his best "lady killer" smile at the red head, trying to cover up the ecstasy he felt over the red head awakening. "Hey there sleeping beauty."

Gaara's eyes went wide and his face matched his hair as Sasuke leaned forward and kissed his forehead gently. Naruto and Temari broke out into hysterical laughter. Sasuke smiled smugly to himself. Gaara sputtered, trying to say something, but failing miserably.

"You… should see… your face…" Naruto managed to exclaim through his laughter. Gaara turned to give him his best "you will die a terrible, horrible, slow and painful death" glare. Naruto instantly stopped laughing and hid behind his chair. Temari and Sasuke sniggered at the wimpy blonde, who instantly told Sasuke to shut up. Temari grabbed her brother's unoccupied hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I'll glad you're finally awake Gaara," she said. Gaara's brow furrowed slightly.

"'Finally awake'?" he questioned. All occupants in the room turned to stare at him.

"Yeah man, you've been asleep for four days… you had us worried," Naruto said.

"Asleep?" Gaara' questioned, his brow furrowing even further.

"Gaara… do you know where you are?" Sasuke asked quietly. Gaara shook his head in the negative.

"You're in the hospital Gaara," Naruto explained. Gaara just looked confused.

"Do you know how you got here Gaara?" Sasuke asked. Gaara shook his head again.

"I don't remember anything… the last thing I remember was leaving school the other day," Gaara said. Sasuke looked at Naruto and Temari, both of which were concerned about Gaara.

"Gaara…" Naruto started. "You're father put you in the hospital again."

Gaara twitched.

"I think I should let the doctor know you're finally awake," Temari said. She glanced up at the clock before taking a double take. "Before I leave…"

Naruto glanced up as well, curious what time it was that Temari had to rush home. He caught sight of the time and cursed.

"I'll walk you out," he said as they both gathered their things.

"I'll try to visit again soon, or send Kankuro," Temari said as she rushed over to her brother and kissed his cheek before rushing out the door with Naruto. Sasuke gave Gaara's hand a squeeze. Startled, Gaara turned to the raven haired youth.

"You going to be ok?" Sasuke asked. Gaara nodded to him.

"I think so…."


	10. Sleeping Beauty

**Disclaimer:** ... trully, who would let me own anything, let alone Naruto?

**If:** Woah. This chapter so came from left feild... Have y'all seen the second Naruto movie? B/c I just saw that and it was pretty cool... a general lack of Gaara, but still cool. I did get to see the sandman kick some ass, and then he just... disapeared... a few too many holes in that one... but anyway... I hope y'all like this new chapter!

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LETmeCRY: I love that reaction. :) Woo! Thanks for the review!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: Yes! The sandman has awakened! Woo! Hope ya like this next chapter!

Brooklyn'sGurl: Ah yes, Gaara's life isn't that great at all, poor guy. But I'm pretty darn sure it's going to brighten up. I mean, he does have one Uchiha Sasuke chasing after him, how could he not be happy:) 'm glad you're liking it! Thanks a lot!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Wow! I'll have to keep all that in mind. I try to please, so we'll se what I can do! Thanks for the reviews!

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I know you  
I walked with you once upon a dream.  
I know you  
The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam  
Yes, I know it's true  
that visions are seldom all they seem  
But if I know you, I know what you'll do  
You'll love me at once  
the way you did once upon a dream

-_Once Upon A Dream_, from Disney's Sleeping Beauty 

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The doctor entered soon after Temari and Naruto left, and soon the room was stuffed with nurses and specialists and doctors. Sasuke wasn't entirely sure why all of them were there, but he just went with it. Gaara on the other hand was nearly freaking out. Apparently he had never had this much attention put on him before. Gaara was panicking and Sasuke could tell by the way his eyes were darting all over the place. Sensing the others discomfort, Sasuke maneuvered his way through the crowd of people to get to his chair (that he had vacated as the doctors entered) and grab Gaara's hand. Gaara jumped, stared at Sasuke for a moment, and then startled the black eyed boy by giving him a tiny, barely visible, relieved smile. Sasuke grinned back at him and Gaara almost regretted smiling… almost. For some reason he just couldn't help but be mesmerized by the grin he received. Gaara was not happy about that.

Luckily for Gaara, the doctors soon left, but unluckily for him, he was told to sleep and injected with something to help him fall asleep. Gaara mumbled incoherently for a while and was soon back asleep.

Sasuke decided that now was the time he should go home and get some stuff and at least take a shower. It had been hard, not being to shower every day… but luckily some of the doctors had let him use a shower somewhere on the floor every other day. Sasuke really thought he could use a nice, long, hot … or maybe cold, shower. So he stood up, but before he could move away from Gaara's bed, a hand snapped up and grabbed him. Sasuke nearly cried out… nearly. Looking at the sleeping red head, Sasuke twitched. He was fast asleep and he had still grabbed him, uncannily accurately at that. Sasuke sighed; he guessed he'd be staying for the night… again. He plopped back into his chair and pulled it close to Gaara's bed so that he could lay his head on the bed.

There were other reasons Sasuke wanted to go home. He needed new clothes, he had been wearing the same thing for four days now, he wasn't happy about that. He figured he should let his bastard brother know he was still alive. And most importantly, he just needed to get away from Gaara. It wasn't that he didn't want to be around, it was more like he wanted some time to process the things he had been told. Sasuke knew that all that information hadn't fully hit him yet. He wasn't sure he wanted to be around Gaara when it hit him. For some reason, Sasuke had this sinking feeling that he would latch himself onto the other boy and never let go.

Sighing, Sasuke closed his eyes. Then it hit him.

Gaara's father hated him and wanted him dead; he went so far as to get someone to kill him. The guy he got just so happened to be the only person that was even decent to the red head. To top it all off, he had tried to have him killed at the tender age of six. Gaara barely survived the incident and was most likely emotionally scared and stunted for life. This boy shouldn't even be alive. He shouldn't be as tolerant to others as he seemed to be. This boy…

Sasuke looked at the peacefully sleeping Gaara. He felt that urge to just hold him and protect him from the world again, and this time he couldn't fight it. Sasuke crawled up into Gaara's bed and laid sprawled half on top of him. Sasuke wrapped his arm around that impossibly small waist; put a leg on Gaara's and nuzzled into the boy's neck. He was instantly asleep, barely knowing what he had done.

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Gaara was, surprisingly, having a nice dream. There was no blood, no death, no pain… it was even sunny. For some reason it all scared Gaara. There were flowers, sunshine, it was a gorgeous field, there was no one around and cheesy music was even playing in the background. Gaara figured that this was indeed the sign of the apocalypse. Some on up there was playing a horrible, cruel joke on him. Gaara knew it, and no he wasn't paranoid, thank you very much. 

Deciding on a whim to explore this world of incredibly scary happiness, Gaara wandered off to try and enter the forest. He naturally assumed that this as well would be happy. It was. Birds were twittering in the trees, the sun beamed through the canopy and there were critters everywhere. Gaara felt like Sleeping Beauty, or Snow White or something. He could swear a squirrel and some of his bunny friends were following him, it was disconcerting. And there was that cheesy music again! He was going to kill the DJ of this particularly scary in a whole new way dream. This was just disturbing.

Animals were frolicking, birds were singing to the music and even the trees were swaying to the beat. Gaara twitched. He looked down at himself. He stared… and stared… and screamed.

"Alright! Who's screwed up dream is this!" Gaara shouted tugging at the big puffy skirt of the beautiful emerald dress he was wearing. "I am not some freaking princess! I'm a freaking scary guy who will rip you to shreds if you so much as look at me wrong!"

Gaara's complaints fell on deaf ears. Twitching, Gaara pulled at the dress. He could swear this was the exact dress Sleeping Beauty wore in the Disney movie, and don't ask how he knew that. He just wanted the damn thing off! Off! But the dress was attached to poor Gaara, and in his dream of uncanny cuteness and torture, he couldn't remove it.

Gaara grumbled to himself and tried to shoo his menagerie of animals away. The damn squirrel and his bunny buddies had decided to invite some birds, a fawn or two, more squirrels and bunnies, a fox and one very grumpy raccoon. Gaara looked at the seemingly angry animal and sympathized.

"You don't want to be here either, do you?" he asked it. The raccoon decided to answer by biting him. Gaara growled and kicked the stupid thing. Gaara was really starting to hate this dream.

The fox nuzzled his leg and snuck up into his lap and curled up there. Gaara just looked at the critter before shrugging. He let himself pet the animal, which arched up into his touch. Maybe this dream wasn't too horrible…

And he had spoken too soon. He knew this song. He hated this song, and right about now that song was scaring the crap out of him. Twitching, Gaara came to the realization that he really was Sleeping Beauty in this Disney production of his dreams. Cursing, Gaara snagged the fox and tried to run away from the song of DOOM, as he had dubbed it. The fox just clung to him as he held it in his arms and ran as far as he could, knowing that he wasn't really going anywhere.

"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream," a very male voice sang. Gaara cursed. There was no way he was participating in this. He may be Sleeping Beauty but he wasn't going to sing and or kiss one Prince Charming. Gaara would much rather prick himself on a spindle wheel, thank you very much. But much to his dismay, Gaara noticed he was starting to hum to the song.

This wasn't happening, he wasn't going to give into this song, he wasn't going to give into these feelings. No way, no how. He was free right now, he didn't want to be chained down, smothered, and most of all he didn't want to deal with the crushing heartache that always came when one gave their heart to another.

It was at this point that Gaara noticed his little fox friend was gone. Gaara stopped his running and began searching around for his furry friend. He didn't know why he was so worried, but he just had this inexplicable need to find that little orange fox.

That voice was getting closer. Gaara could hear him approaching; he could hear the underbrush crack and break as Prince Charming came looking for his Sleeping Beauty. Gaara could no longer afford to look for his lost fox; he had to run, before it was too late. He took off in the opposite direction of the voice, only to hear another, very familiar voice start to sing and come towards him from that way. Gaara froze. He was cornered; there was no where he could go. He was going to get caught, and there was nothing he could do about it. Gaara suddenly was wishing for Maleficent, she was his favorite bad guy in Disney movies.

* * *

Gaara brought a hand up to his poor abused head. That dream had scared him for life. That dream would haunt him more than the words his father always told him. It was just creepy. Why the hell was he dreaming that he was Sleeping Beauty anyway? There was no reason for that! He was no girl, and he definitely didn't feel about anyone like that. Gaara sighed and tried to shift to lie on his side, only to find he couldn't move. Twitching and cracking an eye open, Gaara got a full view of a clump of black hair. Eyes widening to impossible largeness, Gaara couldn't do anything but just stare at that black hair, which was attached to one Uchiha Sasuke. 

Gaara couldn't believe this. What the fuck was Sasuke doing in _his_ bed, lying on top of _him_! That was just wrong! Did he really have a 'molest me' sign on his forehead? Was there any way to get it off? Could he just shoved Sasuke inconspicuously to the ground and pretend it was a mistake? Gaara thought about that last one for a while, and then decided he didn't have enough limbs available to do that. Gaara sighed and resigned himself to the fact that he would have to deal with Sasuke molesting him in his sleep until the teme woke up.

Sasuke meanwhile, was having the most wonderful dream about things not suited for little children to read. Big red Xs were running through his head along with several NC-17s. And though Sasuke was thoroughly enjoying his dream world, he could feel himself being pulled back into the waking world, but Sasuke didn't want to go. His dreams were letting him do all these naughty things to a certain red head that had been consuming his mind and soul as of late, and the waking world (more specifically the red head himself) wouldn't let him truly molest Gaara.

Resigning himself to his fate, Sasuke let himself be dragged from his world of scented oils, candles and midnight baths, into the waking world, which was only filled with uncomfortable hospital chairs and hand holding. So when Sasuke opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself looking at his chair. Confused, Sasuke looked up and started to drown in clearly annoyed emerald depths. Sasuke couldn't bring himself to care that he was invading precious personal space, and lying on top of the object of his vivid fantasies, he couldn't even think with those emerald pools locked onto his coal eyes.

A twitch broke the spell that was woven around Sasuke and he flushed, looking away hurriedly. Sasuke just couldn't move, his limbs weren't co-operating and his brain just wouldn't function, so Sasuke never even heard the door slam open, but he noticed when the body below his stiffened in alarm.

Looking up, Sasuke caught sight of one very confused and almost hurt blonde. But the second he blinked, there was a bright smile on that face and blue eyes were shut. A nervous laugh rang in the room and Sasuke could feel Gaara shift nervously underneath him. Sasuke finally found the energy needed to move and get up.

Gaara sighed in relief from being under Sasuke, but he was nervous still because of Naruto's reaction. That certainly wasn't normal. His head had snapped towards the door when he heard it slam open, and his eyes had widened at the sight he had seen. Naruto was standing, frozen in the door, a scandalized look on his face. He look for all the world as if this was the most surprising, and yet horrifying thing that he had seen. But there was something else in that slack-jawed expression that nagged Gaara. There was something in those blue eyes that looked like his best friends heart had been made of glass and dropped on the floor to shatter. He had looked at him as if he had betrayed him.


	11. Jealousy

**Disclaimer:** Ah Naruto, how I wish I owned you... but I don't, so I cry, but not really

**If:** Wah, some mixed reviews for last chapter. Personally, I think Gaa-chan's dream was pretty scary, and a lot of you seemed to agree with me. But anyway, here's the next chapter that y'all are prolly anxiously awaiting, either that or its all in my imagination...

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LETmeCRY: Oh yeah, its the dreaded Plot Twist of DOOM!... but yeah, I'll agree that the lying on Gaara thing was a little off, just a little plot device. Thanks for the reviews!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: I'm glad you like the Sleeping Beauty thing, it seemed like a good idea at the time, and it kind of carried over from the chapter before last. Ooo... I'm talented like that... not. Thanks for the review!

Demonchildssister: He he he... love triangle... I believe those sort of things are inevitable in a Naruto fic, I just can't help but wonder who Naruto's jealous of. Thanks for the review.

Brooklyn'sGurl: Yeah, happy dreams are scary, but nightmares are worse. And yup, poor Naru was hurt. I guess he does like one of them, its just never been apparent. Poor Naru-kun...

blackflame180: Welcome to the ride! Thanks for the review, and we'll see who Naru-kun likes soon, I hope.

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Yeah, that dream was scary, and I'll agree I'd prolly be hiding under my bed for a few days after it. :0 ... Thanks for the compliments!

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Gaara grumbled to himself. He hurt. For the first time since he woke up, he hurt. Gaara didn't like it. He blamed the whole thing on Sasuke. He blamed the pain, and the awkward-ness all on the Uchiha. Yes awkward-ness, it was a Saturday apparently and Naruto was staying the whole day. Ever since he had walked in on them… that just sounded _wrong_… he hadn't been the same. That creepy smile, the stiffness, and those cold glares he would send both of them when he thought they weren't looking. Gaara was thoroughly creeped out, not that he wasn't before from that, shudder, dream.

Finally, some of the tension broke when Sasuke left to apparently go home and get some stuff and take a shower. Then it became even more awkward. Gaara was afraid of what would happen if he turned to look at his friend, so he stared longingly at the door, wishing he could just leave.

"Gaara…" Naruto spoke in a low, cool voice. Gaara twitched and hesitantly turned his head to look at his friend. Naruto's eyes were narrowed and Gaara could practically _feel_ that indescribable emotion rolling off him. Gaara gulped.

"What exactly did I walk in on?" Naruto asked coldly. Gaara flinched.

"Apparently you walked in on me being molested in my sleep," Gaara said. Naruto's eyes narrowed further. Gaara grew a little nervous.

"What really happened?" Naruto asked, leaning forward. Gaara felt like a mouse being cornered by a cat.

"That's what you walked in on! Do you think I wanted him all over me? He must have climbed into my bed after they sedated me last night!" Gaara exclaimed, holding his hands up in a defensive gesture.

"How am I supposed to know that that's the truth?" Naruto asked suspiciously. Gaara stared at his friend, his mouth falling open.

"When have I ever lied to you?" he asked slowly. Something not right was happening now. Naruto never doubted him, he was never suspicious of him… what had he done?

Naruto seemed to think about it for a moment. He sighed and bowed his head down. "You never have…"

"That's right! Why would I lie about something like this? I told you the other day… five days ago that he was annoying me and stalking me and being this totally creepy jerk," Gaara said, but suddenly it occurred to him that he sounded desperate, he didn't sound like he was telling the truth. "God damn it…"

Naruto looked up at his normally impassive friend and blinked. Gaara was frustrated, that much was clear. Sighing, Naruto got out of his chair and sat next to Gaara on the bed and pulled him into a hug.

"Sorry… I don't know what's wrong with me," he said, lying through his teeth and knowing it. He was insanely jealous and it was getting to him. He didn't want to lash out at Gaara, but he was just so blinded by these stupid feelings that he couldn't help himself.

"'s ok," Gaara replied, leaning against his friend and resting his head on his shoulder. "I don't know what's wrong with you either."

Naruto laughed. It was rather amusing and relieving to know that Gaara didn't know he was jealous. "Well, aren't we the smartest people out there."

Gaara poked Naruto. "Don't put me in the same intellectual level as you, I'm much smarter."

"I'm sorry Gaara, I forgot. I have a brain made of cheese, and your brain is a toxic waste dump filled with gophers," Naruto said, referring to an inside joke from two years ago.

"And don't you forget it," Gaara said. Naruto grinned and hugged Gaara.

"Sorry 'bout this man," he said quietly. Gaara snorted.

"Its alright, just don't ever assume that I want his attention ever again," Gaara said, poking Naruto for emphasis. Naruto felt relief rush over him.

"Yeah, ok Gaara, whatever you say," he said nonchalantly.

"Hey!" Gaara exclaimed indignantly. "I don't want his attention! He thrusts it upon me!"

Naruto cracked up. "'Thrusts' it upon you, eh? Could that be considered rape?"

Gaara turned red and shoved his friend. "Don't imply things like that!"

"Oh? Why? Don't tell me that that put ideas in your head," Naruto said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Cause I would be more than willing to cater to those whims."

Gaara shoved Naruto from the bed. "Pervert."

Naruto was cracking up on the floor, tears streaming from his eyes.

"You know Naruto, you promised me once that you wouldn't let that perv you live with rub off on you, whatever happened to that?" Gaara said leaning over to look at his friend sprawled on the floor. Naruto stuck his tongue out at him.

"I guess living with him for several years has taken its toll…" Naruto said, nodding. "At least I'm not objectifying women and taking them back to 'my place.' Or writing those smut novels."

"Thank god for small favors," Gaara muttered, straightening and leaning back to rest his head against the wall.

"Hey Gaara…" Naruto said, poking his head up and resting it on the edge of Gaara's bed.

"What?" Gaara asked, not turning to look at his friend.

"We're good, right?" Naruto asked hesitantly. Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow and turned to look at Naruto, who had a semi-anxious look on his face.

"Yeah… we're good," Gaara replied turning away from his friend. He could practically _feel_ the smile on the blonde's face and then was sucked into a bone-crushing hug. Gaara cried out in pain, feeling all his injuries jar painfully.

"Sorry…" Naruto mumbled, letting go of his friend. Gaara sighed and pulled Naruto back into a hug, mumbling something about being gentle this time. Naruto only smiled and held on.

* * *

Sasuke, meanwhile, was asking himself why he had come home. Apparently his brother had gone a little insane while he was gone. The house was a mess, and that was putting it lightly. There was trash everywhere, clothes strewn about, Sasuke didn't even know what half the stuff in the living room was, and he didn't think he wanted to know. Making his way upstairs to his room, Sasuke noticed that the only room _not_ destroyed by his bastard brother was his own room. He wandered in, grabbed some clothes, stuffed them in his school bag, and stripped to take a shower. He grabbed the towel hanging in his room and wrapped it around his waist. Sasuke had found out that first day he had come back that Itachi would eat towels and if he didn't keep one in his room he'd get out of the shower and wouldn't have a towel. So Sasuke traveled down the hallway to get to the bathroom. Unfortunately for him, his brother's bedroom door opened and he stepped out, looking half-awake and rubbing his eyes. Sasuke simply raised a paper thin eyebrow.

Itachi blinked a few times, rubbed his eyes again and then stared at his younger brother with his mouth hanging open, disbelieving that he was there. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Itachi, you're in the way," Sasuke said, motioning for his brother to move to the side of the hallway.

"You're alive!" was the only warning Sasuke got before he was tackled by his apparently overly emotional brother.

"God damn it Itachi! Get off me!" Sasuke yelled, trying to pry the older Uchiha off. After several minutes of struggling, Sasuke just resigned himself to his fate of being crushed by his brother.

Suddenly, Itachi sat up, but didn't get off Sasuke. Sasuke glared at his brother, who only glared in return. Sasuke had this feeling that Itachi had created that giant mess in the house because he hadn't been home.

"Where have you been?" and Sasuke's fears were confirmed. Sasuke sighed and just looked at his brother.

"I've been at the hospital watching…" Sasuke was unable to finish his sentence as his brother cut him off.

"Hospital! Are you alright! What happened!" and thus Itachi started to inspect every inch of Sasuke's body. Sasuke's eyes went wide and he tried to scramble away from his psychotic brother.

"I was just getting to that!" he exclaimed, huddling against the wall far away from Itachi, clutching the towel. "A friend of mine was very badly injured, and he needed all the support he could get."

"Oh," Itachi said. He stood up. "You could have called."

Sasuke flushed and looked away. "He kinda needed me there at all times, and I forgot during the times I was able to leave his side…"

"…Right," Itachi said. He looked at his brother before sighing. "Go take your shower."

Sasuke nodded and scrambled into the bathroom. Itachi sighed.

"Sasuke…" he mumbled as he looked at the bathroom door before turning and heading downstairs to clean up. Hopefully his brother would tell him something… he couldn't stay mad at him forever… could he?

* * *

Gaara had fallen asleep. Naruto smiled. He nudged his friend, who was using his shoulder as a head rest and had an arm draped across his stomach. Gaara just shifted in his sleep and nuzzled against Naruto's neck. Naruto stifled a giggle. Gaara was just too _cute_ when he was asleep!

Naruto was a little curious as to where Sasuke was though. He had left several hours ago and hadn't come back yet, not that Naruto minded. He loved spending time with Gaara. Somehow he had managed to coax his friend and one of the nurses into playing cards. Gaara now owed him $15 bucks, even though they had been betting quarters. Naruto had laughed at his friend's horrible luck. Gaara had just muttered something incoherent. The nurse was now $7 richer as well, thanks to Naruto and Gaara's generous losing. Naruto was happy that his friend was acting so … happy, for lack of a better word. It was nice to see him without that impassive, impassible mask he always wore, and for once Naruto wasn't pretending to be happy.

Naruto was happy that things were getting back to normal, and then Sasuke entered his mind. Alright, so things weren't going to be normal ever again. That _teme_ had come back finally, and Naruto was ecstatic. But Naruto was also a bit apprehensive as well. That bastard had already proven that he had some pretty snarky intentions when it came to Gaara, and Naruto wondered what had happened to him over the three years he had been gone. Sasuke was even acting different around him, not calling him a dobe as often. Something had happened with that creep Orochimaru, something weird and it had changed Sasuke, whether for the better or not was still to be seen. All Naruto knew was that Sasuke wasn't who he used to be.

"Does that even make sense?" he asked himself aloud.

The door opened quietly and a bag was dropped on the floor. Naruto laughed at the expression on Sasuke's face, waking Gaara in the process. Groggily rubbing his eyes, Gaara caught sight of Sasuke in the doorway, with a 'deer in the headlights' look on his face. Gaara brought a hand up to his temples and rubbed them.

"Not again…" he muttered as Naruto continued to laugh.


	12. Massacre

**Disclaimer:** Not even close to mine 

**If:** Hoo wah... I've never had a story be so popular before, or gotten so so many reviews for one chapter... If I keep getting that crazy amount (to me 9 is crazy) of reviews again replies are going at the end of the chapters. But here we go! Chpater 12

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LETmeCRY: It really would be so much easier if Gaara could just resign himself to the fact that Sasuke gets what he wants... but I have this feeling that he'll be fighting till the very end. And yes, Itachi isn't a bastard, a little different, I know but I have some ideas I'm gonna mess with concerning him. But anyway, thanks for the review!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: Indeed, there really is nothing like a boyxboyxboy love triangle. Thanks a lot for the reviews!

Brooklyn'sGurl: You figured it out! Woo:) I had tried to keep it a bit of a mystery, but yup. Naru-chan likes Gaara. Itachi is emotional as of now, but I have a feeling he's going to be a bit bipolar. Ideas? I haven't got a clue where they all come from, I just know they keep coming! XD;

-RenegadeMustang-: Well thanks for the compliments, I try to please! And Itachi doesn't literally eat towels, towels just happen to disappear when he's around. He's like a black hole for towels.

Demonchildssister: I am an updating Machine! as of right now. I like to keep it at every other day. :) I'm glad you liked the cuteness of Gaa-chan and Naru.

blackflame180: Sorry if I didn't outright answer if Naru liked Gaara, I wanted to see if people could figure it out... but yup... he does. I hope you like this chapter!

Pulse.D: lol, poor Naru. I'm sure he'll be fighting Sasuke for Gaara the whole way. Naruto isn't one to give up so easily. Hope ya like this chapter and thanks for the review!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Ah yesh, the jealous and the tension is building! The fight for Gaara is on!... lol. Thanks for all the support!

Ninee Kisuragi: Thanks so much for the review! I'm glad you're liking how this is going. :)

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Sasuke was twitching rather violently, and he was sure his anger was palpable. Just seeing Naruto and Gaara all… cute… no! Evilly snuggled together just made his blood boil! He was feeling anger, not some strange emotion, anger! How dare Naruto touch what was his! That's right! Gaara was his and only his! No one else could touch Gaara.

That having been decided on, Sasuke tramped over to the cackling blonde and his annoyed red head. He stood by the edge of the bed, tapping his foot impatiently waiting for Naruto to do something other than laugh.

"He's not going to stop any time soon you know," Gaara said, turning to Sasuke. Sasuke sighed and plopped down into his chair. Gaara rolled his eyes. "What's you people's problem anyway? First you're molesting me in my sleep and now blondie here won't leave my side."

Sasuke growled. "One: I wasn't molesting you in your sleep. Two: I'm going to kill Naruto."

Gaara narrowed his eyes. "Kill him and you'll be meeting the business end of an axe."

Sasuke blanched. Gaara smirked evilly. Naruto finally managed to reign in his laughter and sighed, leaning back and trying not to start laughing again. He kept grinning and when he caught sight of Sasuke he cracked up again. Gaara hung his head and Sasuke brought a hand up to rub at his head.

"Maybe he'll never stop…" Gaara muttered. Sasuke nodded, though the red head couldn't see him do so. Naruto fell off the bed.

Looking over the edge of the bed, Gaara looked at the blonde, who was now rubbing his head. Rolling his eyes, Gaara sat back up, only to come face to nose with Sasuke.

"Wah!" Gaara exclaimed, flailing about and nearly falling off the bed himself. Sasuke grabbed him and steadied him on the bed. Gaara gasped for air.

"Sorry…" Sasuke said, not looking sorry in the slightest. Gaara glared at him.

"Yeah… sure… I have a feeling that you're about as sorry as he is for laughing," Gaara said, indicating Naruto with his thumb. Sasuke grinned. Gaara shifted about a bit and Sasuke leaned in so that he was nose to nose with Gaara.

"But I am sorry," he said, putting on his most convincing innocent face. Gaara didn't buy it for one second.

"Sure you are…" he said sarcastically.

"Hey Sasuke-teme get away from Gaara!" Naruto suddenly shouted, jumping to his feet and pointing at the Uchiha. Sasuke sighed, and then glared at Naruto.

'Who does he think he is? Ordering me to get away from _my_ Gaara… I'll show you Naruto…' Sasuke thought, grinning evilly. Gaara blanched and tried to back away from Sasuke, who he had determined had lost his mind. Sasuke turned to pin Gaara with a lusty stare and leaned in to kiss the stunned red head. Gaara closed his eyes and fervently wished he was elsewhere, really. The oppressive shadow hovering over him, also known as Uchiha Sasuke, was suddenly shoved off the bed. Gaara cracked open an eye to see a near-livid Naruto twitching to his left. Gaara looked at his friend, stunned. Sasuke was on the floor wondering what the hell had happened.

"I told you to get away," Naruto said, his voice darker than usual. Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow.

"Naruto… calm down, would ya?" Gaara asked. Naruto mumbled something and sat back down on the bed. Resting his head on Gaara's shoulder, Naruto yawned and decided to take a nap. Gaara gently patted his friends head.

"…" Sasuke was speechless. Sitting in his chair and hanging his head, Sasuke sighed. How could he possibly get between them?

"You know, he's normally not this protective," Gaara said offhandedly. Sasuke barked out a laughed.

"I know. The only thing he's ever been protective of are those that really mean something to him… his precious people," Sasuke said, shaking his head. Gaara looked over at the seemingly forlorn Uchiha.

"Surely you're one of his precious people," Gaara said, curious despite himself. Sasuke snorted.

"I suppose I was… but I don't think I'm one now," Sasuke said. Gaara tilted his head.

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"I betrayed him… I left him… I ignored him…" Sasuke said softly. "How could I still be one of his precious people?"

Gaara looked up at the ceiling. "You know… all that day, that day you showed up, all he could talk about was how his 'bestest buddy' was coming back. How he was so happy and couldn't wait to see you again. I'd say that makes you one of his precious people."

Sasuke looked sadly at Naruto. "I don't deserve to be one of his precious people."

Gaara furrowed his brow and looked at Sasuke. The Uchiha was lost in his own world and didn't seem to notice anything outside of it.

"Why do you say that?" Gaara asked tentatively. "Just because you left three years ago?"

"I didn't just leave… I abandoned this place," Sasuke said. "I thought I knew what was best for me, so I went and did it… I was so wrong…"

Gaara remained silent, listening to Sasuke's words.

"Three years ago… I suppose that's where everything started and fell apart. It all goes back to that time… I had wanted so badly to beat my brother, to be better than him, to prove that I was worthy of attention. I wanted to show that they didn't have to compare me to him. I wanted to be my own person," Sasuke trailed off. "I didn't want to live in my 'perfect' brother's shadow!

"He is anything but perfect! That… that man isn't worthy of praise. He's a living sin! He's an abomination! He's the imperfect one! I just wanted to be seen…"

Gaara felt a pang of sadness for the boy seated beside him. Gaara knew what that was like… to a degree. He at least knew what it was like for no one to see you.

"You know… Itachi, he got himself into a lot of shit when he was in high school. I didn't know it at the time, but he had gotten involved with the very creep I ran off with. That creep got him into so many bad things, but being involved with him did keep Itachi's grades up. I think that's why he did it to begin with. But after a while it changed. He wouldn't come home till the wee hours in the morning; he started to be distant and cold to me and the whole family. He would skip school to go out with his new 'friends' and would come back at midnight, drunk and sometimes covered in blood.

"But none of that mattered. My parents couldn't see that side of him; they only saw the 'perfect' son that they bore. They didn't see that he had joined a gang, they didn't see him drunk, they didn't see him high or stoned, they didn't see all the random sluts he'd bring back to the house… they didn't see anything. And they told me to be more like _him_!

"I couldn't stand it! That oppressive atmosphere was stifling! And then… then it happened…"

Gaara cocked his head to the side, silently willing Sasuke to continue.

"It was a cold day in the autumn of my eighth grade year. My parents had taken Itachi off to something or other and had left me to fend for myself. I had gone over to Naruto's for a while and we went and visited Sakura for a while, since the three of us were the best of friends, even if I'd never admit it. When I got back to my house it was all over the news. The Uchiha family … it had been a massacre.

"Apparently it was a family get together… I wasn't important enough to even be told about it. They had all gone to some hotel in the next city over, and the whole family except for me was there. Some lunatics had hijacked the hotel and were holding everyone hostage. In a freak accident, one of them tripped and shot one of the hostages. The hotel grew silent for a moment and then all the hostages were trying to get free, trying to get rid of their captors. They had forgotten all forms of caution. The captors… they slaughtered anyone who came near them. There were very few survivors… Somehow the police got in and caught them all, but it was a bittersweet victory. The only Uchiha left was Itachi, and he wasn't even in good shape with a bullet through the leg. There were various other survivors, but it wasn't important to me. That had been my family that had been mindlessly slaughtered. Even though they never acknowledged me, or cared for me, they were still my family, and now they were dead.

"I blamed Itachi… I hated him even more; I didn't even talk to him when he got back. And then I left. I turned my back on him as my family had done to me. I left on that three year journey from hell. I left my brother, and my dearest friends, all to prove that I was better than him, to prove that I could beat him."

Sasuke stopped abruptly, not mentioning the fact that his brother was now trying to get on his good side and had totally changed over the three years he had been gone. Gaara reached out and put his hand on Sasuke's head. Sasuke leaned into the touch and rested his head on the edge of Gaara's bed.

"You didn't have to tell me any of that…" Gaara said. Sasuke shook his head.

"I wanted to tell you," Sasuke said. "I needed to tell someone… maybe I'll be able to tell you everything…"

Gaara looked concernedly at the Uchiha.

"I suppose we've both had pretty hard lives, but don't forget about Naruto. His life hasn't exactly been a bed of roses either," Gaara said, looking once again at his sleeping blonde friend. "I'd think he deserves to hear what went on during those three years and what led up to you leaving."

Sasuke nodded solemnly. He looked up at Gaara and smiled softly. Gaara blinked at him.

"What?" Gaara asked perplexed about the soft look he had received.

"Thanks," Sasuke said, leaning in to kiss Gaara's cheek, only to be shoved away by a still sleeping Naruto.

"Stay away from Gaara teme…" was muttered in the blonde's sleep. Sasuke blinked at the blonde. Gaara brought up a hand to try and stifle his laughter… it didn't work. Gaara cracked up. Sasuke sighed.

Even in his sleep Naruto foiled his plans.

* * *

Across town, Itachi finally stopped sneezing.

"Maybe I shouldn't clean this place up… I keep sneezing like crazy…" he mumbled, setting his duster down for a moment.


	13. Lunch and Anguish

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothing.

**If:** First off, DON'T KILL ME:hides and cowers: A plot is developing and I promise it will eventually be SasuGaaSasu (or whatever)... eventually. But I can't make it too easy for them, now can I?

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LETmeCRY: lol, its attack of the emo-angsty ness. Trully. DRAMA! ... anyway... thanks for the review, I know that chap was a bit quick, but... alright, I don't have an excuse. It was just fast moving. :shrug: 

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : I'm glad you're loving the story! Thanks for the reviews, I love getting your reviews! I'm glad you liked that last bit, a little humor is good when I keep making this story so angsty. :)

blackflame180: Heh, when doesn't a love triangle cause problems? (Disregarding those threesome, love triangles that work or whatever...) But yup, it will most definitly create problems.

Ninee Kisuragi: Oh yes we will eventually learn what became of Orochimaru, I wouldn't leave you people hanging, and I hate leaving loose ends in a story. He'll be back in all his evilness. Thanks for the review!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: Thank ya, I was trying for a bit of lightness at the end of that last chapter. It can't all be dark...

RabidFangirlMoo : Why thanks! And yes, eventually it will be SasuGaa, the story is just taking its precious time getting them together. But rest assured, they will get together eventually! (the author doesn't even know when... I don't have a master plan for this story) Because SasuGaaSasu is LOVE! ... yeah...

Gaara'siceprincess: Thank ya for the review!

And now, without further ado: Lunch and Anguish

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It was another three days before Gaara was deemed able to leave the hospital. When asked about payment, Gaara told them that it would be billed to the normal place. Sasuke turned a questioning look to Naruto who only shrugged in response. Sasuke furrowed his brow, wondering where or who Gaara got money to pay for these visits to the hospital from. Naruto tugged on his arm and Sasuke blinked out of his thoughts. Gaara was heading out the hospital door and Naruto rushed after him. After pausing for a moment to reflect on all that had happened in the hospital, Sasuke rushed after Naruto and Gaara. 

It seemed that Gaara was determined to get away from the hospital. He was walking fast and the Uchiha and Naruto found it hard to keep up with their friend. Yes, Sasuke had resigned himself to the fact that he would have to be friends with Gaara first before he could make any moves, especially since Naruto was watching him like a hawk. Sasuke didn't necessarily like this situation, but it was what he had to deal with. He couldn't just rush into this, he had finally realized. He needed to gain Gaara's trust, and learn everything about him, not that he hadn't wanted to do that anyway, but he needed to do it before he tried to get anything more than friendship from the red head.

"Hey Gaara!" Naruto shouted, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts. Gaara paused at a crosswalk and turned his head towards them. "Where are we going?"

Gaara blinked, his impassive mask having been put firmly in place the second they left the hospital. Sasuke missed the expressions that he had seen in the hospital.

"We are going to go get real food," Gaara stated, not turning around. Naruto whooped and started to skip around. Sasuke hung his head. He hadn't exactly expected this out of Gaara, but he didn't really mind it, what he minded was Naruto clinging to Gaara's arm. Scowling, the Uchiha marched up to his red head and his blonde companion and grabbed a hold of Gaara's other arm. Gaara deadpanned at both of them and tried to free his arms. Naruto glared at Sasuke, Sasuke glared back, and Gaara found he couldn't get away from either of them. Twitching, Gaara crossed the street, receiving many strange looks, glares and the occasional giggle. Muttering to himself, Gaara pulled his clingy companions into one of his favorite restaurants. Raising an eyebrow, Gaara frowned at his brother and sister, who were already there, smiling at him. Gaara wondered how they figured out he was coming here.

"Hey Gaara!" Temari called out. Gaara's face blanked and he sighed, hanging his head. Walking to the table with just as many chairs as needed to sit both siblings, Gaara and the two leeches glued to his arms, Gaara sat in a seat placed next to his brother. Naruto immediately jumped into the seat beside him and Sasuke growled at the both of them. Gaara shrugged and gave him a look that said 'nuts, you can't sit beside me' and Naruto grinned like a Cheshire cat. Twitching, Sasuke resigned himself to sitting beside Gaara's sister Temari, but Kankuro quickly jumped up and sat in that seat. Sasuke gave him a grateful smile, to which Kankuro scoffed, and sat beside Gaara. Poor Gaara was twitching so bad Naruto almost thought he was a massage chair. Sasuke smirked at the blonde before batting his eyes at Gaara. Gaara let his head drop onto the table.

"Why me?" he asked, his voice muffled by the plate his forehead was resting on.

"Why not?" Kankuro asked from across the table, earning him three deadly glares. Kankuro immediately scooted closer to Temari, who was laughing at his plight.

Muttering some curses, Gaara brought his head up from the table and pinned his siblings with a questioning look. "What are you two doing here anyway?"

Temari shifted nervously in her seat and Kankuro just looked at his brother. Sighing, Kankuro brought his elbows to rest on the table and put his chin in his hands.

"You always come here," he said simply. "We thought we'd treat you to some good food. It's the least we can do… we feel kind of guilty about what happened, and not being able to visit or anything."

Gaara nodded. Sasuke looked at the two contrite siblings and cocked his head to the side a bit. Naruto just smiled brightly.

"You guys are awesome!" the blonde exclaimed. Gaara rolled his eyes as the blonde glomped onto his brother. "You're buying for me and Sasuke-bastard too, right?"

Temari twitched and glared at him but nodded anyway. Yipping with joy, Naruto shook Kankuro. Gaara's mouth twitched, he wanted to smile.

"You know, no one cares if you show what you're feeling," Sasuke whispered to the red head. Gaara blinked a few times and turned to stare at Sasuke. Taking the initiative, Sasuke reached out and brushed a few fingers across Gaara's left cheek. "You have a beautiful smile."

Gaara blushed a little and felt himself being pulled backwards into a tight embrace. Blinking, Gaara looked up at Naruto.

"You may have a point teme, but keep your hands to yourself," Naruto growled. Sasuke just rolled his eyes. Gaara sighed and patted Naruto's arm.

"You can let go now Naruto," he said. Naruto shook his head.

"I don't want to let go," he said stubbornly. Gaara just looked at him.

"You need to let go so I can sit up and order my food baka," Gaara said. Naruto's eyes darted all over the place at the mention of food.

Spotting the waitress looking at him with a pretty red blush across her cheeks, Naruto instantly brightened and rattled off all the food he wanted to eat. Gaara stared at the blonde, wondering how he was still that thin when he ate so much. Turning to the waitress himself, Gaara ordered a modest lunch for himself. Sasuke ordered a lunch, salad and desert.

Conversation started up immediately after the waitress left, Naruto and Gaara's two siblings filling in the other two on all that had been happening at school for the past week or so. A light suddenly went off above Gaara's head and he pinned his siblings with an intense stare.

"It's Wednesday, why aren't you two at school now?" he asked. Temari and Kankuro both blushed.

"We kind of… called in sick," Temari confessed. Gaara sighed.

"You know, you're going to get into trouble because of this," he said and then flinched. "And he'll probably know you went to get me."

Temari shook her head fervently. "Nope. We convinced him we were sick. He sent both of us to friend's houses and we each convinced them not to tell him about us going to meet you."

Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow. "That was pretty smart of you."

Temari beamed at her brother and Kankuro chuckled. Gaara shook his head and let a small smile grace his face. Everyone just grinned back at him. Feeling uncomfortable, Gaara stopped smiling and scowled at all of them instead. Naruto laughed, as did Kankuro, Temari sighed and Sasuke just looked happy. Deciding that it might be a good idea to show emotion, Gaara silently thanked Sasuke, but he would never admit it.

* * *

Sasuke had reluctantly left the group halfway to Gaara's house, simply stating that his house was in the opposite direction. As he waved goodbye to his crush, Temari and Kankuro, he noticed that Naruto wasn't waving back. Something wasn't right and Sasuke didn't have a good feeling about it. Furrowing his brow, as soon as he turned the corner and was out of sight, Sasuke started to tail his friend and crush. 

Naruto walked beside Gaara, occasionally stealing glances. Temari and Kankuro waved as Gaara decided to walk the blonde home, at the blonde's request. Chatting idly, Gaara didn't notice that Naruto had started to wring his hands, or that he was looking around nervously. Stopping in Naruto's driveway, Gaara said bye.

"Wait!" Naruto called out, snagging the red head's arm. Gaara was startled and let his face show it. Naruto looked at the ground.

"Can I just talk to you for a while?" Naruto asked, never looking up. Gaara's brow furrowed, his friend never acted this way.

"Sure…" he said. Naruto smiled, but it was only a small smile. Gaara was officially worried.

"What's wrong?" he asked as they sat on the curb of the street. Naruto stared at him with startled eyes.

"Huh? Wrong?" he asked. Gaara deadpanned at the blonde and bopped him.

"Yeah… wrong. You're acting weird," Gaara said. Naruto laughed nervously.

"Its just that… I don't know how to say this, and I'm afraid of what you'll do," Naruto admitted. Gaara blinked.

"You know I could never hate you, or shun you or anything," he said, wrapping an arm around Naruto's shoulders. Naruto leaned his head on Gaara's shoulder.

"You never know…" he murmured. Gaara sighed. Taking the blonde's chin and tilting it with his left hand, he made Naruto look at him.

"Never," he stated firmly. Naruto smiled softly.

"Thanks," he said. Gaara nodded, never moving.

"Now what was it that you wanted to tell me?" he asked. Barely getting the question out, Gaara was floored when Naruto's lips crashed onto his own. Gaara couldn't move, he couldn't think. Naruto's lips were pressed against his own, and Gaara didn't know what to do. On one hand, this was Naruto. Naruto was like a brother to him. On the other hand, it was Naruto, the one who was always working him up and never doing anything about it, dropping it before finishing what he'd started.

Gaara could only stare as Naruto pulled away. Naruto's eyes full of tears and Gaara regretted not having done anything. Pulling the blonde into a tight hug, Gaara held onto him. Gaara could feel his friend crying.

"Naruto…" Gaara said quietly. Naruto pulled away, trying to run from the situation.

"I'm sorry, I… just forget it happened… I don't know… what got into me…" Naruto stuttered, trying to get free of Gaara's firm grip on him. Gaara grabbed Naruto's chin again. Naruto opened his mouth to argue again, but lips pressed tentatively to his. Closing his eyes, Naruto relished the feeling of Gaara's lips on his own.

In a bush across the street, Sasuke silently fumed, tears running down his face and not even noticing. Thrashing wouldn't help his situation, screaming would only get him caught and there was nothing he could do to turn himself away from the scene unfolding before him. Sasuke wanted to hurt Naruto, he wanted to gather Gaara up in his arms and take him away and lock him in a cage all for himself. Gaara was _his_ Damnit! Not Naruto's! Hot tears poured from his eyes, and Sasuke barely noticed as it started to rain.

Pulling away from Naruto, Gaara blushed bright red. Naruto seemed to be out of it. Gaara just stared at his best friend for a moment. Where did this leave them? What were they now? Sasuke flashed into his mind and Gaara suddenly felt guilty. He didn't know if he liked Naruto the way his friend obviously liked him. He couldn't get Sasuke out of his mind and that bothered him. Did he like the raven haired stalker pervert? What did all this mean?

Naruto meanwhile had come to his senses and was smiling happily at Gaara. Blinking out of his reverie, Gaara smiled crookedly at his friend in return.

"Can we talk about this tomorrow?" he asked. "I need to think about some things."

"Sure," Naruto said, nodding. He stood up and started to walk away. Turning back for a moment, both friends looked at each other for a moment and then Naruto turned around again and went inside, out of the now pouring rain.

Sighing, Gaara stood. Shaking his head, he turned and headed back to his house, cursing the rain in his mind. Something caught his eye though, there was someone just lying in the rain in a bush. Though he was never one to investigate such things, Gaara did so anyway.

"Sasuke?"


	14. Baths

**Disclaimer:** Not even close to mine.

**If:** ... hah, I scared off almost all of my normal reviewers, that kind of amuses me... But welcome and many thanks to the people who review last chapter! But anyway...

**Warning:** GaaSasuGaa! Nekkid-ness! And one (maybe two)perverted mind.

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xX-Angel.Eater-xX: Thank you, thank you... and we all know that raven haired pervert stalkers always get what they want. :)

blackflame180: Indeed it has begun. The lines are drawn and the battlefield has been chosen (aka: Gaara's heart... poor Gaa-chan).

Ninee Kisuragi: Ah yes, the plot twist, I love them. :) Hmm... plushie-mation movie? That would so rock! And no worries about Sasu-kun, I'm sure he'll get some sugar (if you know what I mean...). Thanks for the review Ninee-san!

Demonchildssister: Doesn't everyone want to know:) Hope ya like the newest chap!

Alcorion: Woo! I'm a favorite! I feel special. I'm glad you're liking it. In regards to Naru-chan, I don't know what will happen to him, we'll have to see how this all goes. Thanks for the review!

ShishouNekkyou: Thank you, thank you. :)

puptastic25: Mou, thanks for that note. I know basically what the purpose of 'teme' is for, and I know that Naru tends to call Sasuke that, I suppose that I should have not used it in that particular part.

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Thankies! I try to keep things interesting and I'm glad you liked it, hope you like this new chapter!

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_"Sasuke?"_

Gaara got no response. Stepping towards the raven haired boy, Gaara crouched down beside him. Reaching out a hand, he shook Sasuke's shoulder. The black haired boy just limply shook. Gaara raised an eyebrow. Poking Sasuke's cheek, Gaara tried to wake the boy up, but nothing seemed to be working. Sighing in defeat, Gaara grabbed onto Sasuke's arms and pulled him out of the bush. Grumbling, Gaara slung one of Sasuke's arms over his shoulder and managed to get an arm underneath Sasuke. Grunting with exertion, Gaara managed to get Sasuke off the ground.

"I hate you…" Gaara mumbled, starting to slowly make his way to his house. Sasuke was a dead weight and Gaara just wanted to get out of the rain at this point.

Finally his house was in sight. Gaara quickly checked the driveway for his father's car, not seeing it Gaara trudged up the walkway to the porch. Cringing a bit, as if remembering the pain he had been in over a week ago, Gaara stepped onto the porch and made his way to the door. Frowning for a moment, Gaara carefully reached out a hand to ring the doorbell. Sensing Sasuke slipping, Gaara immediately grabbed onto the raven haired boys hand. The door opened after what seemed like an eternity and Temari just blinked at Gaara for a minute.

"Gaara?" she asked. Gaara nodded.

"Help me get him inside," he said, indicating Sasuke with his head. Temari nodded numbly and grabbed onto Sasuke's legs. Gaara readjusted his grip on Sasuke quickly so that he was holding onto his chest, arms under Sasuke's. Carefully the two of them managed to get into the house.

"Kankuro!" Temari shouted. Seconds later Kankuro came into the hallway grumbling. He blinked in surprise as he saw Gaara and Temari holding onto Sasuke.

"What the heck happened?" he asked. Gaara shook his head.

"Close the door," Temari said. "We're going to get him into the upstairs bathroom."

Gaara just followed Temari as she began walking backwards towards the stairs. Barely managing to get onto the stairs without bumping into the wall, Gaara flinched as Sasuke's limp arms practically dragged on the ground, bouncing against the stairs. Temari started moving down the hallway as she reached the top of the stairs, and Gaara had to rush up his final stairs in order to not drop Sasuke.

"Kankuro!" Temari shouted again, Gaara flinched.

"What!" Kankuro shouted back. Gaara twitched.

"Get up here and open the bathroom door!" Temari yelled. Gaara hung his head.

"Can't you two be quiet?" Gaara asked. Looking up Gaara caught his sister glaring at him. "Never mind."

Kankuro, grumbling once again, came up the stairs, maneuvered past his siblings and opened the bathroom door.

"There, happy now?" he asked sarcastically. Temari glared at him and he backed away from here.

Bringing Sasuke into the bathroom, Temari seemed to realize they needed to turn him around. Temari ordered Gaara back out into the hallway. As she got into the hallway she walked backwards and told the red head to go into the bathroom first. Gaara obediently followed her instructions, fearing her wrath.

"Let's prop him against the tub," Temari said, gently putting down Sasuke's feet. Gaara stepped into the tub, and put down Sasuke's torso making sure he wouldn't fall over.

"Now, fill the tub with hot water and start stripping him. When the tub is full put him in. I'm going to go get some towels," Temari stated, walking out of the bathroom. Gaara blinked, and then blushed bright red, rivaling the color of his hair for a moment.

"Have I mentioned that I hate you yet?" Gaara asked Sasuke quietly, knowing that Sasuke wouldn't reply. Hanging his head, Gaara took a deep breath. Looking back up, Gaara brought his hands forward and grabbed the hem of Sasuke's shirt. Sensing that the boy wouldn't wake up any time soon, Gaara pulled the fabric up. Manipulating one of Sasuke's arms, Gaara managed to get off a sleeve. Moving Sasuke's arm in a similar fashion, Gaara got the other sleeve off as well. Gaara pulled the shirt over Sasuke's head. Suddenly it hit him; he just took off Sasuke's shirt. Blushing brightly once again, Gaara backed away from the other boy.

"Ah. I see you've already gotten started. Don't forget to watch the water once you've gotten it started," Temari said, putting some towels and dry clothes onto the sink counter. "I brought you both some dry clothes."

Gaara nodded and Temari left again, closing the door behind her. Gaara turned his attention away from Sasuke, grateful for the excuse to do so, and plugged the drain of the tub. Turning on the water, Gaara just turned the hot water up all the way. Watching as the water gradually worked its way up to a steam, Gaara finally turned on the cold water, evening the temperature to something bearable, but still hot. Gaara looked up and saw a cabinet, standing Gaara stepped over Sasuke to reach the cabinet. Opening the doors Gaara looked at all the different things for baths, showers, general cleaning and spotted two things that would be useful: bubble bath, and a blow up headrest that could be attached to the side of the tub. Gaara immediately moved back to the taps and poured in a generous amount of bubble bath to the water. Ignoring Sasuke for a moment longer, Gaara started to blow up the headrest.

Having finished the headrest and attaching it to the tub, Gaara was left with only one thing to do: finish undressing Sasuke. Turning scarlet, Gaara moved to pull off Sasuke's shoes. Unlacing both shoes, Gaara tugged them off one by one and put them by the door. Then Gaara rolled off Sasuke's soaked socks. Gulping as he set them next to Sasuke's shoes, Gaara noted that the only things left to remove were Sasuke's pants and underwear. Gaara idly wondered if it would be possible to just leave the raven haired boy in his underwear and put him in the tub. Then his sister popped into his mind, and Gaara knew he'd have to totally strip the lithe body in front of him.

Reaching shaking hands out, Gaara unbuttoned Sasuke's jeans. He quickly looked up to search Sasuke's face for any sign of waking, and seeing none, pulled down the zipper. Gaara found his palms sweating. He hooked his fingers through two of Sasuke's pant's belt loops and pulled. Gaara glared at the pants. They weren't going anywhere. Gaara cursed his horrible luck, but then again… no! Bad luck! Gaara blushed furiously and put a hand to Sasuke's back. Feeling very inappropriate, Gaara put his hand down the back of Sasuke's jeans, but not down his boxers, and lifted the other boy's hips. Gaara quickly tugged once again on Sasuke's jeans with his other hand, feeling the other boy slipping, threatening to fall. The jeans made their way down and over Sasuke's hips and Gaara quickly removed his hand from Sasuke's bum. Knowing he was as red as his hair, Gaara focused on the water level of the tub for a moment. He could get Sasuke's jeans off and then he'd have to stop it, he decided. Grabbing onto the cuffs of Sasuke's jeans, Gaara deftly pulled them off and had to toss them quickly in order to stop Sasuke's from falling onto his side. Wrapping his arms around the nearly naked boy, Gaara twitched.

"I'm starting to think maybe you have all this planned…" Gaara murmured. He inhaled deeply and found himself intoxicated by Sasuke's smell: lavender and pine. It was a strange combination, but for some reason it worked well together, and in Gaara's opinion, it fit Sasuke. Blinking, Gaara realized that he had just been smelling Sasuke. Quickly balancing Sasuke once again against the tub, Gaara quickly turned off the water.

"… This might over flow when I manage to get this good looking dead weight in here…" he muttered. 'Good looking?' … Gaara brought a hand to his head. He needed an extended mental vacation away from all blondes with sunny smiles and endlessly blue eyes, and raven haired boys with black as coal eyes and lusty lips. Gaara twitched. This wasn't his day.

Gaara looked once again at the raven haired youth, his face heating up. He had to take off Sasuke's boxers, which he dully noted, were pitch black with little red hearts on them. Gaara crouched down and tried one last time to wake up Sasuke. He grabbed the boy's shoulders and shook him. Nothing happened. Gaara felt like crying, but he wasn't sure if it was because he was anguished or joyful. Gaara didn't think he wanted to know. So he grabbed hold of Sasuke's boxers and pulled. They went nowhere.

"There is no way I'm putting my hand down his shorts," Gaara said. He looked around, as if paranoid, and then sighed. No choice. He'd _have_ to do it. Too bad Gaara didn't know there was a small perverted smile on his face.

Gulping, Gaara ran a tentative hand down Sasuke's bare back and hesitantly pushed it under the black material. It registered in Gaara's mind that Sasuke's skin was sinfully soft, and then Gaara lifted the other boy's hips. Slowly tugging the black material over Sasuke's hips, Gaara kept his eyes firmly planted on the bubble filled tub. Flinching, because he knew he had to look down, Gaara saw that the boxers were pulled down far enough to put Sasuke back down on the ground. Gaara gently put the fine body back where it was and retracted his hand, his fingers unintentionally lingering on that silky skin. Turning back to the task at hand, Gaara quickly ripped off Sasuke's boxers, grabbed his friends limp form, and somehow managed to lift him off the ground, arms under knees and arms.

"I feel like a groom carrying his wife over the threshold," Gaara grumbled. Carefully setting Sasuke's legs in the water, Gaara slowly lowered the rest of Sasuke's body into the water, placing his head on the headrest. Gaara smiled happily at his handiwork, pushing all available bubbles over Sasuke's lap. A groan from said raven haired boy snapped Gaara out of his brain dead state. Snapping his eyes over to Sasuke's face, from where Gaara's eyes had been lingering on where the hot water lapped at the ivory skin of Sasuke's chest, Gaara watched as black as sin eyes cracked open.

"…?" Sasuke questioned without saying anything. Gaara just deadpanned at him for a moment.

"I found you passed out in a bush in the pouring rain by Naruto's house, I had to do something with you, it wouldn't have been right to just leave you there," Gaara explained. Sasuke flushed.

"… Thanks," the black haired boy murmured. Gaara just nodded.

"Why were you in those bushes anyway?" Gaara asked. Sasuke avoided eye contact.

"I…" he started, but then seemed to notice that he was indeed naked and in a tub of hot water. Sasuke turned suspicious, and yet lusty eyes to Gaara. "Why am I naked in a tub full of bubbles?"

Gaara blushed. "Temari made me."

Sasuke nearly laughed at the expression on Gaara's face. "Oh?"

"I suppose it had something to do with the fact that you weren't conscious and felt cold," Gaara said, avoiding Sasuke's eyes.

"But how did I _get_ naked and in a tub of bubble bath?" Sasuke leered. Gaara fidgeted.

"Umm…" he managed to say.

"You wouldn't know anything about that, now would you?" Sasuke asked, enjoying teasing the red head.

"I…" Gaara said.

"Who took off my clothes and put me in here? I'm sure they enjoyed the view," Sasuke said. Gaara's blush got darker.

"…"

Sasuke grinned ferally and grabbed onto Gaara's collar, pulling him to face to face. Gaara blinked his wide eyes.

"Did you like what you saw?" Sasuke purred. Gaara opened his mouth to reply, but lips pressed firmly onto his mouth, effectively stopping his retort, if he even had one.


	15. A Shaft of Light in the Darkness

**Disclaimer:** Don't own nothing

**If:** Ho shnit. I got 12 reviews for one chapter... that's freaking nuts... it must've been a really good chapter or something. And so, thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers who I love so much, replies will be at the end of the chapter instead of the beginning. Oh yeah. So I hope you like this new chap: A Shaft of Light in the Darkness.

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Sasuke was pretty sure that this is what heaven felt like. Those pale lips were trapped beneath his own, and they were so soft, they tasted so good. Sasuke didn't think he could live without this feeling. Gaara's lips were like an addictive substance. Once you got your first taste you were hooked. It would become a habit, not matter how detrimental to your health. The high that you experienced was well worth the shortening of your life, or in this case the inevitable punch in the face. Sasuke was going to savor this moment though; he was going to push his luck. With his lips firmly locked to Gaara's still part way open mouth, and his hand still gripping Gaara's collar, Sasuke took a chance, opened his own mouth and pushed his tongue in Gaara's open mouth. The red head jerked in surprise, and seemed to snap out of his daze. Sasuke's tongue was running along all sides of Gaara's mouth and trying to coax the other into participating in this kiss. Gaara's hands came up to Sasuke's shoulders and Sasuke knew that this was the end. He clenched his eyes close, not wanting to see the rejection that was sure to happen, but was astonished when Gaara's tongue came to meet his. 

Gaara didn't know what to do. One: he'd only been kissed once really, and that was just a while ago by Naruto. Two: was that Sasuke's tongue in his mouth! Jerked out of his brain's sluggish state, the only thing Gaara found himself capable of doing was to grasp the other boy's bare shoulders and return the kiss.

Sasuke decided he could die now and be happy. That wasn't too much to ask, was it? Unless he could get more of Gaara, to be something more to Gaara, to have all of Gaara. Once again pushing his luck, Sasuke brought a hand up from the water and brought it to Gaara's face. Caressing the silky skin that he had just known would be that soft, Sasuke ran his hand down Gaara's face and throat. Taking a chance, he ran his hand down Gaara's chest and under the hem of his shirt.

Gaara's eyes snapped open, he had no idea when they had closed or when he had tightened his hold on Sasuke's shoulders, but he could feel Sasuke's hand snaking its way down his chest and then felt the incredibly cool, calloused hand on his bare stomach. Gaara broke the kiss and quickly backed away from Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes weren't really seeing, that much Gaara could tell, Sasuke's eyes were filled with lust and maybe something more. It scared Gaara. His hand came shakily up to his mouth and just felt his slightly swollen lips. He could taste Sasuke in his mouth. He could still feel Sasuke's hand on his abdomen. What had the raven haired boy done to him?

Sasuke couldn't focus. His senses had been overwhelmed by a simple kiss. He could still feel Gaara's lips, his hesitant tongue and the soft yet firm skin of his stomach. Sasuke knew he would be able to still feel Gaara kissing him, gripping his shoulders, and the feel of his skin on his hand. Sasuke groaned, now was not a good time to think about this.

Gaara blushed darkly at Sasuke's groan. Quickly turning his head away from the other boy, Gaara decided now would be a good time to leave, while he still had some shame.

"I'm going to leave you alone now…" Gaara said, not looking at Sasuke as he stood and turned to the door. "Everything you will need is right by you. The towels are on the sink. If you need to get the water hotter, feel free to turn up the hot water, the left tap."

Before Sasuke could even ask him a question, he was gone. Sasuke sighed and hung his head before reaching out for the hot water tap.

"I really screwed up… I think," Sasuke said. He furrowed his brow in thought. "Or maybe all of that was a good sign?"

Sasuke took the time to think about it, it wasn't as if he had to be anywhere or do anything. Besides, he was still freezing. He needed this hot bath. Turning the hot water up all the way, and opening the drain to let out some of the water in the tub, Sasuke waited until the whole tub was steaming before turning off the hot water. Sighing in content, Sasuke laid back to think about everything.

Gaara wasn't even close to his first. His first was something that he didn't really like to remember. He didn't like to think about how many people he had been involved with either, but that was a different reason entirely. Sasuke shuddered, a memory pushing the wall he had built around everything unpleasant that had happened in the last three years.

It had been the middle of winter, the first year he was off with Orochimaru. They had left nearly three months ago, and Sasuke had finally adjusted to the city and his new teacher. There was something unsettling about the man, Sasuke had thought it had something to do with his obsession with snakes at the time, but Sasuke had never dwelled upon it. Sasuke had just wanted to get away, and learn. Orochimaru was the opportunity that fate had presented him with. Orochimaru was smart, and was moving to New York and had told Sasuke that he could come with. Sasuke had known that Orochimaru was connected to his brother, but he didn't know how.

But it was this memory from the bleak of mid-winter that surfaced in Sasuke's mind. It was the first time he had gone to a bar, never mind that he was only 14. Orochimaru had said that it would be a good experience for Sasuke and that Sasuke was mentally 21. And so the snake-obsessed man had taken his young, new prodigy out on the town.

Sasuke knew there was something suspicious about the whole endeavor once they had gotten into the club; Orochimaru had paid the doorman handsomely. This was not some regular club, of that Sasuke was sure. It made Sasuke self-conscious of what he was wearing: a black tank, tight black pants, and a leather collar. Sasuke didn't like wearing the collar, but Orochimaru had told him if he didn't wear it people would molest him, so like a good boy Sasuke let Orochimaru put the collar on him. In the club however, the collar seemed to attract more attention to him than if he didn't have one. Frantically searching the club for Orochimaru or Kabuto, Orochimaru's grad student teacher who was supposedly at the club as well, Sasuke found neither. Instead, a man found him.

Sasuke had looked up as a hand grabbed onto his collar. A man, with spiked green hair, a tattoo on his left cheek of some swirling pattern, and a spiked collar not unlike his own, tugged on poor Sasuke's collar. Struggling, Sasuke was pulled by the older and stronger man into a less lighted corner of the club.

"Stay here," the man growled to Sasuke as he tossed him onto a plain red couch. Sasuke scowled and tried to get away, only to be pulled back by another inhabitant of the couch. Sasuke batted the hands holding him back away and turned to face the corner. Sasuke's mouth hung open. Everyone in the corner had a collar on, some of them looking a little less appealing than the plain leather Sasuke wore.

"Wha?" Sasuke asked timidly. A nice looking woman with a kindly smile gestured for Sasuke to wait a moment so she could tell him.

"This is the corner where pets reside dearie," she said gently. Sasuke blink uncomprehendingly.

"Pets?" Sasuke asked. The woman looked taken aback. Frowning she moved and sat next to the confused boy.

"Yes hunny, pets. You're wearing a collar, surely someone put it on you," she said, wrapping and arm around Sasuke's shoulders. Sasuke nodded. "Then that is your owner."

Sasuke jumped up, clenching a fist. "He's not my owner! He's my teacher!"

The lady frowned again. "Then you have been deceived my boy. That collar around your neck, and the fact that you're in this club, all point to you being his personal pet, not his student."

Sasuke scowled, in a rage. "He said that if I didn't wear this collar I'd be molested."

"Well that's true enough," the woman said. Sasuke turned back to her, anger forgotten for a moment. "If you weren't wearing that collar you would be molested. If you have a collar on no one but who you belong to can touch you."

Sasuke blinked a few times then hung his head. "But I don't belong to anyone… I am my own person."

The lady's mouth quirked into something resembling a smile. "I used to believe that once, then I met my owner. Even though he goes out and comes home with other people and even though he treats me like crap, I stay with him. I don't think I can say I am my own person any more. I am his."

Sasuke frowned and sat next to the lady again. "But you could leave him."

"Nothing but my feelings is stopping me," she said. Sasuke frowned.

"But feelings are easy to ignore, easy to leave behind," Sasuke muttered, thinking back to blonde haired dobes and pink haired fan-friends. A pang went through his chest and Sasuke clutched at it.

"Feelings aren't that easy to ignore," the lady said, wrapping the sad boy in her arms. "You know what I'm talking about. You may try to leave them behind, but they are always there, always inhabiting your heart."

Sasuke staid silent. A shadow fell over them, and Sasuke looked up. Orochimaru.

"Come on Sasuke, we're leaving," he said, holding his hand out for the young boy. Sasuke turned and looked at his new friend.

"What's your name?" he asked. The lady quirked a smile.

"Pandora," she said.

"Pandora… you deserve better," Sasuke said as Orochimaru pulled him away. A smile lit onto Pandora's face and she waved goodbye to Sasuke.

Sasuke frowned. It was strange, remembering that. Pandora… Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if she had escaped the life that she had been living and found someone new and better for her. Her words though… Sasuke brought a hand up out of the cooling water to rest on his chest above his heart. Feelings weren't to be ignored, and they can't be easily overcome.

Sasuke didn't want to get over his feelings for Gaara, of that he was sure. He wanted Gaara in more than just a sexual way. Sasuke wanted more than Gaara's body. Even though Sasuke wanted Gaara's body, and pretty badly at that, Sasuke wanted Gaara's mind, his presence, everything else about the red head more.

Sasuke had realized a long time ago; around the time he had bumped into Pandora that his life was only going to get darker. The three years he spent with Orochimaru hadn't proved otherwise. Sasuke's life started to snowball in the time he spent with Orochimaru. He became even more withdrawn, jaded, and self-destructive over the three years he had spent with the snake man. When Sasuke had come back to Konoha, he had seen how much he had changed, and how this place had staid the same. Naruto was the same, still a dobe who spoke and did whatever was on his mind, never thinking through things, never thinking of consequences, heck he probably still didn't think. Sakura was still a crazy stalker fan of his. She had matured a bit, that run-in in the nurse's office was proof enough of that, but otherwise she was the same. But something had changed in all this. There was something new in Konoha and it was making splashes.

Sasuke had gone into his German class that morning thinking that he'd know every person in there and that they'd all mob him and stare at him and scream. He hadn't anticipated Gaara.

Gaara… the red headed beauty that had caught his attention and kept it ever since Sasuke had first laid eyes on him. He had stared, but once he had realized he was staring he had turned away. No one had turned away from Sasuke. Sasuke could feel his life starting in a new direction. He had sat in front of this intriguing person and when he was told to find a partner he had turned around. For the first time he had been snubbed. Even Naruto, who had always claimed that he hated Sasuke, had never snubbed the raven haired boy. Sasuke wanted to be noticed by this cold boy. Sasuke wanted to be acknowledged by this boy. Sasuke wanted to do anything to have that boy asking him to be around. Sasuke's life once so shrouded in darkness now had a shaft of light.

Someone banged on the door and Sasuke snapped out of his reverie, splashing a little. The water was almost too cool to even be in now. The door opened and Gaara walked in just as Sasuke stood up.

"Are you coming out any time … soon…?" Gaara trailed off catching sight of a naked Sasuke standing, stunned in the tub. Gaara turned the color of his hair, dashed outside of the bathroom, slamming the door in his wake. Sasuke blinked, grinning ear to ear.

Sasuke's shaft of light had certainly gotten brighter.

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wIthOUt A nAmE: Sasuke funny? Who knew. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, hope you enjoyed this one as well!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Wow! I'm glad you liked last chapter so much! Hope this one is just as good!

Demonchildssister: ... lol, I can't help but love your review from last time. Nice and simple.

LETmeCRY: he he he... oh yeah, ya can't beat a nekkid pervy Uchiha... except maybe with a nekkid pervy Gaara. Thanks much for the review!

Brooklyn'sGurl: Woo! 's alright with the not reviewing, I understand but I must admit I was sad that you hadn't reviewed. I'm glad you're still around and reviewing! Glad you liked the last few chaps!

iaishounenai: Thank you so much for the nice review! I am the updating maniac, so I hope ya like this fresh off the press chapter.

Ninee Kisuragi: Ah yes, the intense descriptive detail of last chapter... I don't know why but I just wanted to describe really bad that chapter. Ah describing... It might have been a bit much, but it was so awkward I had to describe it, if only to torture poor Gaara. Mwa ha ha ha... I mean... And daddy dearest will show up, I'm pretty sure... eventually. Heh, it would have totally sucked if he had come in during last chapter. But anyway, thanks for the review!

Stakeh(who's really Property-of-Gaara) : Yup that'd be Sasuke for you. "I see it, I want it, I get it." Classic Sasuke. Thanks for the review!

the dancing dead: Oh yeah, madness is my forte. I'm glad you like the story! Thanks for the review!

RabidFangirlMoo : Welcome back, and thanks for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much!

ShishouNekkyou: He he he... wow, I got a smexy for my chapter. Sweet. And this is a SasuGaa story, so Gaara will be with Sasuke in the end (whenever that is...) Thanks for the review!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: w00t. I'm glad ya like that chapter so much! Finally a some SasuGaa! Yay:)


	16. Resistance

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine

**If:** hOMG... a hundred reviews. Twelve reviews again... that's just crazy. Have I mentioned I love my reviewers to death? Y'all are the best!

And so, in honor of reaching a very momentous 100 reviews, I am offering to write a fic for whoever gets lucky review number 111 (b/c 1 is a cool number, even if its the loneliest number). The catch is: if you don't want one, don't say you want it. :) Heh. Anything you want (if I'm able).

Oooo... But anyway... review replies are at the bottom once again. And enjoy "Resistance"!

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Dinner was awkward to say the least. Gaara was trying to ignore the foot running up his calf and failing miserably. Sasuke, whose foot was molesting Gaara's calf, was just grinning like a lunatic, which disturbed the other two occupants of the table. Kankuro was just watching all of this with a mixture of disgust and humor. On one hand, it was just wrong that someone, especially some good looking guy, was molesting his brother, on the other hand though, it was extremely funny to watch Gaara squirm. Temari was just smiling, she was finding Gaara's expression funny, and was happy that someone was just generally caring about her brother. Temari decided that she would help Sasuke get Gaara's affections any way she could.

"Would you stop that?" Gaara finally shouted cracking and twitching violently. Sasuke's grin just grew and his foot stretched out to move up past Gaara's knee, aiming higher. Gaara's eyes went wide and he backed up his chair so fast both he and the chair tipped over.

Silence reigned in the kitchen. Gaara had fallen backwards in his chair, and was staring, stunned at the ceiling. Kankuro snorted, trying to hold the laughter in. Sasuke pursed his lips trying not to just start cracking up. Temari was silently cracking up behind a hand. Kankuro was the first to break.

"Bwa ha ha ha…!" he cracked up. His laughter was loud, obnoxious and contagious. Temari broke down next, joining her brother in laughing at the youngest Sabaku. Sasuke was the last to join. Gaara twitched on the floor.

After about five minutes, the twitching had progressed into an angry shake. "Would you three shut the fuck up!"

Kankuro guffawed loudly. Temari found herself slipping down her chair and under the table with how hard she was laughing. Sasuke was resting his head on the table, laughing harder than he had ever laughed.

"I hate you all," Gaara muttered as he rolled out of his chair and onto the floor. He sat his chair back up and stood up. Glaring at the other occupants of the room, he grabbed his dishes and headed over to the sink, muttering to himself the whole way. Glaring at the still laughing siblings and Sasuke, Gaara left the kitchen and headed into the living room, planning on watching some TV.

It was around seven in the evening, and Gaara was relaxed for once. It didn't last long though. Lights crossed the living room's window as a car pulled into the driveway. Gaara shot straight up and dashed for the kitchen.

"He's home!" Gaara shouted frantically. Temari and Kankuro immediately stopped laughing. Jumping out of their seats, both of them grabbed their dishes, and stuffed them in the sink. Grabbing a stunned Sasuke's arm, Gaara tugged the raven haired boy towards the staircase. Sasuke was just barely able to keep up with the red haired boy. Gaara shoved him onto the stairs.

"Get into my room and lock the door," Gaara commanded. "It's the last door on your right. Hide in there somewhere, don't come out unless I knock."

"How will I know its you?" Sasuke asked. Gaara blinked.

"I'll do 'shave and a hair cut'," he said. "You know how to reply before you open the door."

"Two bits…" Sasuke murmured.

"Exactly," Gaara said, slamming the door to the stairwell in Sasuke's face.

Sasuke raced up the stairs, knowing it would be a very bad idea to dawdle, especially if Gaara's father could hospitalize Gaara. Sasuke didn't want to find out what would happen to him if he was found out. Coming to a stop at the top of the stairs, Sasuke spotted the door to Gaara's room. He rushed down the hallway and threw open the door. There wasn't a speck of light in Gaara's room. Sasuke doubted the red head even had a window. Seeing the faint light of an alarm clock, Sasuke stepped carefully into the room and shut and locked the door behind him. Holding his arms out before him, Sasuke felt his was around the wall, eventually running into Gaara's closet. Sasuke opened the door and crawled in.

Gaara meanwhile, was helping his siblings get set up on the couch and love seat, trying to make them look like they had been there a while. Pulling the final blanket over Kankuro, Gaara raced back into the kitchen. He quickly filled the sink with water, adding ivory to the water and quickly washed a set of dishes, so that his father wouldn't suspect that someone was over. Putting the dishes away, Gaara realized that Sasuke's wet clothes were still in the upstairs bathroom. Eyes widening to unusual proportions, Gaara raced to the stairs. He threw open the door, ran up the stairs, quickly grabbed Sasuke's clothes and crossed the hall to throw them in Kankuro's room. Shutting his brother's room once again, Gaara quickly cleaned up the bathroom and then headed back downstairs. The second he stepped into the kitchen his father entered the house.

Gaara started to wash the dishes still in the sink, trying to ignore the dark presence approaching him. Ignoring the fact that his hands were shaking, and that memories of his father throwing him threw the glass coffee table were resurfacing, Gaara tried to focus on the dishes. It was extremely hard to do when he felt his father standing right behind him.

"So you survived," his father said in an icy tone. Gaara gulped and kept washing dishes. "What a shame."

Gaara bit the inside of his lip. His father grabbed his hair, causing Gaara to flinch, and pulled him away from the sink. Gaara winced at the pain.

"You shouldn't have survived that. There was no one around to help you," Gaara's father hissed. Gaara winced. "How could you survive?"

Gaara found that he had been dragged to the table and his head was slammed onto the hard wood surface. Gaara bit his tongue to keep from crying out in pain, and ended up biting too hard, the taste of blood filing his mouth.

_Shit_, Gaara thought as he felt that familiar blood lust fill him and that darker part of his mind start to take over.

"How could you survive?" Gaara's father asked, thoroughly confused how this demon could have lived after all that lost blood. He punctuated each word by slamming Gaara's head into the table again and again. "You should be dead!"

Gaara's head was ringing and his vision was starting to blur because of the trauma his head was receiving. His father was in a really bad mood apparently. Gaara remembered being punched and thrown and suddenly it all came back to him. Gaara cried out as his father crushed his burning cigarette into his shoulder. Gaara shut his mouth as quickly as he could.

"Maybe I should just finish you now," his father said maliciously. Gaara grimaced. "It would be so easy, you're so helpless."

Gaara's darker mind took the opportunity to take over. "I'm not helpless."

Gaara's father was stunned. This demon had never talked back to him, had always just taken his beatings. Why was he fighting back now?

"I'm not going to let you just beat me anymore," Gaara growled. He reached up and pried his father's hand from his hair. Gaara slowly stood up, his head throbbing, and holding his father's hand, twisting it slightly. Gaara's father punched him in the face on the same side of his head that he had been pounding into the table. Gaara's head snapped to the side at impact, his lip splitting open and blood dribbled down his chin. Turning his head slowly to face his father, Gaara grinned at him, his sanity precariously hovering on the brink. Gaara could hear the faintest murmurings of that song signally insanity.

"You're not, are you?" his father sneered and punched his son in the stomach. Gaara keeled over, dry heaved and clutched onto his stomach. "You're doing such a good job of resisting."

Gaara clutched his knees and slowly stood back up. He glared pure malice at his father. The song was getting louder and he could hear sinister laughter bubbling up through the darkness. Gaara cracked a lopsided grin and his father took a step back. Gaara reached out and grabbed the taller man's collar, keeping him where he was.

"You will not beat me again unless you want a fight," Gaara growled. His father's eyes narrowed and Gaara bared his teeth. Pulling back his other hand and curling it into a fist, Gaara slammed it straight into his father's left eye. His father fell to his knees from the force of the blow and the fact that he was now unconscious. Gaara let the man drop to the floor and kicked him.

"I'm not taking this lying down anymore," he growled and turned on his heel. Gaara stumbled through the kitchen and to the living room to his siblings. He heard Temari gasp and guessed that he was looking about as good as he was feeling. He somewhat saw his sister approach him and felt tentative fingers on the right side of his face, the side that had received the brunt of his abuse tonight. Gaara hissed at the soft contact.

"Gaara, you look horrible," Temari said, putting her hands on her youngest brother's shoulders to steady him.

"I feel horrible," Gaara said, smiling wryly. Temari sighed.

"Where's father?" she asked. Gaara chuckled coldly, causing his sister to take a step back. "Gaara?"

"He's in the kitchen, on the floor," Gaara said calmly, hearing Shukaku chuckle maliciously in the back of his mind and telling Gaara what a good number he had planted on his father.

"What did you do Gaara?" Temari cried, immediately panicking and thinking the worst had happened. Gaara laughed mirthlessly.

"I knocked him out," Gaara said, laughing again. "I told him I wasn't going to take this any more without putting up a fight."

Temari could only stare at her brother as he cracked up, his icy cold laughter filling the room and giving her chills. She had never seen him in this sort of state before, it was freaking her out. Kankuro put a hand on her shoulder.

"Gaara… you're sounding a little on the creepy side," he said. Gaara stopped laughing abruptly. He blinked at the two blurry forms of his siblings.

"Sorry," Gaara said, lowering his head. Temari put her hand on his head.

"Its alright, you go on upstairs and have Sasuke fix you up, we'll get him in his room," she said. Gaara numbly nodded before heading for the stairs.

Gaara realized that he was quite proud of himself. He hadn't just sat back and took the beating. He had fought back. Fought the power and won. Gaara made his way up the stairs and felt his way along the wall to find his room. He knocked on the door, barely remembering what he had said he would knock. 'Shave and a hair cut.' Gaara waited patiently for the response. 'Two bits' finally came and Gaara sighed in relief as the door opened.

"Gaara!" Sasuke exclaimed worriedly. Gaara allowed a small smile to rest on his face as he was dragged into the room. Sasuke felt around and finally found the light switch. He led Gaara to his bed and sat him down, examining his face. The right side of Gaara's face was bruised and bleeding, along with his lower lip. Sasuke felt a pang of sadness rush over him.

"Where's your first aid kit?" Sasuke asked.

"In the bathroom," Gaara replied tiredly. Sasuke rushed off to find the kit. He dashed down the hall into the bathroom, scrounged around and finally found it. When he got back, Gaara was lying on his back, apparently staring at the black ceiling. Sasuke suddenly realized Gaara's room was all black.

"Sit up," he commanded gently. Gaara did as he was told and suddenly Sasuke found himself pinned to Gaara's bed with a grinning Gaara hovering over him.

"**Much better**," Gaara spoke, but it wasn't Gaara's voice. Sasuke's eyes widened. This wasn't his Gaara he realized. The voice was too deep, the mannerisms were too different, and Gaara would never pin him to his bed.

"Gaara?" Sasuke asked tentatively. A creepy grin spread over the face above his.

"**Gaara's taking a nap right now**," that deep voice said. Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction more. "**I'm Shukaku, Gaara's inner demon**."

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Brooklyn'sGurl: Wow... thank you so much for the wonderful words! I feel special. :) And yes, poor Sasu, pets have it rough. And there is nothing wrong with the rabid fangirl-ness (I do believe I'm pretty close to being rabid). It may be the DARK SIDE, but they have cookies. XD

LETmeCRY: lol, I think that was an unintentional pun. Puns... Thanks so much for the review. Smexalent... I like that.

puptastic25: Wow, never seen SasuGaa before. That's amazing. Thanks so much for the review!

iaishounenai: Thanks!

wIthOUt A nAmE: Yup, pets. It is messed up, but then again, we are talking about Orochimaru here... Thanks for the review!

Demonchildssister: he he he... I'm not very good at reviewing either. But I am easily amused, so I totally loved that all I got was an emoticon. And thanks for the compliment on the kissing scene, I was a bit worried about that. Thanks for the support!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: Wow, my humble little fic causing speechlessness? That's amazing. I'm glad you like this so much! Thanks for the reviews!

RabidFangirlMoo: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it soo much!

ShishouNekkyou: Yup, Gaara's a blushing machine. Poor guy just doesn't know how to handle the smexiness of Sasuke. And no problem about answering your question, I'm always up for explaining things if people don't get something. Thanks for the review!

bombednaruto123chik: Thanks a lot! I'm glad you enjoy my story so much:D

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Yup, Gaara's blushing a lot. I'm sure he'll be used to Sasuke's very forward ways eventually, but now he's still like "OMG! Molestation!" ... it would be kind of funny to see Gaara actually do that... he he he... but anyway, Thanks so much for the continuing support!

ChibiChaolan: Wow! I'm glad you're liking this and can't wait for more! Thanks so much for the review!


	17. Art

**Disclaimer:** Ah, Naruto's not mine by a long shot... the only thing I own is two ninja bands...

**If:** Bwa ha ha... the 111 review is next (dun dun dun...) so that's still on. Woo... this is so exciting. Review relies are at the end of the chapter. And due to my evilness, this fic just went up in rating, partly to be safe, and partly because I have a twisted mind some times...

**Warnings:** Torture-ish. Blood.

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Sasuke had the feeling that this 'Shukaku' was expecting him to be afraid, or something. In all actuality, Sasuke was apathetic at best. He didn't know anything about this Shukaku and so didn't realize just how deep in shit he was. And so, Sasuke just gave Gaara's so called 'inner demon' and apathetic look after his initial shock. Shukaku's eyes narrowed.

"**Why aren't you afraid?**" that icy voice asked. Sasuke just raised an eyebrow.

"Should I be?" he asked ignorantly. Shukaku grinned ferally and Sasuke shuddered.

"**Why don't you find out first hand,**" Shukaku responded. Sasuke's eyes widened again, suddenly regretting his words and nearly afraid.

Shukaku's hands brought both of Sasuke's up above the black haired boys head and held both wrists easily in one hand. Sasuke tried to squirm away, to get his hands free or to dislodge the body above his. Shukaku only grinned larger.

"**Now now, don't get impatient,**" he purred. Sasuke shuddered.

Shukaku's free hand reached over the edge of the bed and resurfaced with a role of duck tape. Sasuke was officially afraid. Grinning like a lunatic, Shukaku grabbed the tape's end between his teeth and rolled a decent sized piece. Using his teeth again he tore off the piece. Putting down the tape and grabbing the piece, Shukaku placed it firmly over a struggling Sasuke's mouth.

"**We wouldn't want anyone to hear you, now would we?**" Shukaku asked his mouth next to Sasuke's ear. Sasuke tried to move his head away from that mouth, but his ear was firmly bit onto. Sasuke groaned into the tape. Shukaku's grin grew. Using the same method as before Gaara's inner demon tore off a large piece of tape. Firmly holding Sasuke's wrists, Shukaku managed to tape Sasuke's wrists together. By now Sasuke was struggling as if his life depended on him escaping, and it just might have. Shukaku decided right then that it would be nice if the raven haired boy wasn't struggling. Drawing back his fist, Sasuke barely had time to register what was going on before he was knocked unconscious by Shukaku's fist to his face.

Grinning manically, Shukaku climbed off Sasuke and the bed. He stood a ways back and surveyed the scene before him. Sasuke's hair was fanned out around his head, his face to the side and a beautiful black and blue mark was already appearing on his cheek. There was a trickle of blood leaking from the raven haired boys lip and Shukaku felt his blood lust rising. Slender, pale arms were taped above the near-angelic face, and a slim, ivory abdomen was barely peaking out from the black t-shirt from Gaara's closet. Lean legs were covered with clingy jeans, and narrow feet were bare. Shukaku wanted to make this body his greatest work of art.

Meandering over to Gaara's dresser, Shukaku grabbed a pair of scissors. Holding them up and cutting the air a few times, Shukaku's grin went from feral to wicked. He stalked back over to the bed and snapped the scissors a few times before straddling Sasuke's waist. Putting the bottom hem between the cool metal, Shukaku began the task of cutting off Sasuke's shirt. Cutting up to the collar, and then to the sides and through each sleeve, Shukaku set the scissors down to pull off the fabric that once was Sasuke's shirt. Grinning at the pale skin, Shukaku ran his fingertips down the front of Sasuke's torso, delighting in the shiver it produced from the prone boy. Crawling off Sasuke's waist, Shukaku crawled to the edge of the bed, pulling Sasuke with him. He pulled the dead weight over to his closet, firmly closing and locking the door. Stretching Sasuke's arms above his head, Shukaku put his bound wrists over the door handle. Grabbing the tape again, Shukaku made quick work of firmly binding Sasuke's bound wrists to the door handle. After satisfying himself that his new 'toy' wouldn't get away from the door, Shukaku bent down and unfastened the pants Sasuke wore. Unzipping the pants, Gaara's inner demon quickly shucked them off. Shukaku admired his 'canvas' for a moment. He certainly had a lot of work to do to make this boy perfect. He was a beautiful, blank canvas.

Shukaku looked around Gaara's room, searching for his various 'paints' and 'brushes' so that he could truly create a work of art that would be appreciated. Spotting a black box by the side of Gaara's bed, Shukaku smirked and walked over to it. Crouching on the ground, Shukaku opened the box and his smirk grew. Inside were all the old razors that Gaara had used before that sunny freak Naruto had corrupted his beautifully painted mind into something different and he had stopped using them. Shukaku was an artist of the body's canvas. He knew what looked best on the body, and blood and scars were definitely the lines he loved to draw. Standing up with the box, Shukaku walked back over to Sasuke and set the box down next to the raven haired boy, but far enough away so that the bound boy wouldn't be able to reach them. Shukaku then decided that anything else he would want would be in Gaara's closet, but that they could be found anywhere else.

Shukaku walked to the door and opened it, taking a final look at his canvas before walking out the door and shutting it quietly behind him. Sasuke took that moment to moan in pain. His head was killing him, his jaw hurt and his mind was swimming. What had happened? What was going on? Where was Gaara? Blinking his eyes, trying to get the room to stop spinning, Sasuke searched for 'Shukaku.' He wasn't in the room apparently. It was then that Sasuke realized that he was _looking_ at the bed, and wasn't _on_ the bed. Sasuke frown. He tried to move his arms to rub at his eyes, but found that they were firmly secured over his head. Sasuke looked up and had to blink a few times in disbelief. His hands were firmly bound with tape to the door handle to Gaara's closet. Sasuke looked around the room again, his eyes finally losing most of the blur that had been clouding them. There was no one in here, but there was also no way to escape. Sasuke looked to his right and saw the open black box. It was then that the fear hit him. Cold, metal razors stared back at him. Sasuke tried to struggle, tried to free himself, he tried to scream, but the tape around his wrists and across his mouth prevented him from doing anything.

The door opened and Sasuke froze, this was it… the moment of truth. Shukaku walked in, turned his back to Sasuke and closed the door with his foot. He turned to Sasuke and Sasuke screamed, but only a muffled sound escaped him. A demented smirk appeared on Shukaku's face, and Sasuke was afraid. Shukaku had apparently gone down to the kitchen and had acquired some new 'brushes.' There was a butchers knife and some other assorted knives, there was one of those mallets for pounding meat, a peeler peeked out from between the knives, and there was a frying pan. Sasuke tried inching away from the sadistic creature standing by the door. Shukaku just set his utensils down on the ground in a specific order with the razors being nearest to him. He reached inside the black box and pulled out a particularly rusty looking one. Sasuke's eyes were permanently wide and he desperately tried to free his arms. Shukaku clicked his tongue at the raven haired boy.

"**Tisk tisk Sasuke-kun**," he purred. "**I went through all the trouble of finding all these wonderful tools and here you are backing away from me. What kind of canvas are you?**"

Sasuke just muffled some unintelligible words through the duck tape. Shukaku grinned.

"**I suppose we'll have to tie your legs down, it wouldn't be good if you kicked the artist that is going to improve upon your beauty,**" he said. Sasuke blinked. 'Artist?' What the fuck was this guy talking about? But Shukaku had already begun his search for something to tie down Sasuke's legs. He looked at the duct tape, but realized he needed something to attach Sasuke's legs to. Gaara's room was so _bare_. So Shukaku bumbled back out of the room, leaving Sasuke panicking.

Sasuke had to get free, who knew what this crazy lunatic would do to him if he didn't get away? Sasuke didn't want to know what would happen to him if he staid tied up to this maniac's closet.

Shukaku re-entered the room, carrying a heavy chest. Sasuke twitched. The chest was placed by Sasuke's feet before Shukaku went back to the door and closed it. Keeping the handles for the chest up, Shukaku grabbed at one of Sasuke's ankles. Sasuke whipped his legs away. He kicked at Shukaku as he tried grabbing his leg again. Shukaku scowled.

"**Co-operate!**" the demon growled, punching Sasuke's face again. Sasuke would've gasped for air if he could have. Shukaku grabbed his right ankle and made quick work of taping it to a handle of the chest. Sasuke came back to his senses and tried his best to keep his other leg from being attached to the chest, but in the end he failed. Sasuke screamed, only a muffled sound escaping, not loud enough for anyone outside of the room to hear. Shukaku's smirk grew to gigantic proportions. It was then that Sasuke noticed that he was only wearing a pair of boxers. Thoughts flooded his mind, and he was sure that this creature would torture him and rape him.

"**Now then, let us begin, yes?**" Shukaku said. Sasuke's eyes were wide as saucers as the demon picked up that worn razor again. Sasuke struggled, his body barely moving at all due to his restraints. "**Why don't we start with these pretty, unstained legs?**"

Sasuke screamed. The razor caressed his skin before pressing down harshly on the sensitive skin on the inside of his calves. Sasuke kept screaming, even knowing that no one would hear him, and that it was probably music to Shukaku's ears. The razor cut a small line. Shukaku picked it up and dragged it perpendicular to the other mark he had made, swirling it in a decorative curl. Shukaku watched in fascination as blood ran down the inside of Sasuke's white calf. He bent down and ran his tongue along the marks, and lapped up the blood. Sasuke both moaned and hissed at the contact. On one hand, it felt good, but on the other hand, it hurt so much. Shukaku set the razor down and settled on biting the inside of Sasuke's thigh, higher up than the fresh blood, before moving down and lapping at the red liquid again. Sasuke involuntarily arched his back and moaned.

Shukaku grinned. This canvas was so responsive, unlike his own canvas. Picking up the razor again, he pulled back, locking eyes with his new toy. He caressed the skin of his wrist and neatly sliced it length-wise right over several other marks. Sasuke just tilted his head back. Shukaku licked his wrist once before pressing it to Sasuke's face. Sasuke's head snapped back, his eyes once again going wide. Shukaku ran his wrist down Sasuke's face and neck, leaving a trail of fresh blood in his wake. He reached over to his left and picked up the meat tenderizer. Sasuke blinked uncomprehending eyes before they shut tightly in pain as the tenderizer slammed into his side. Sasuke screamed in pain. Shukaku admired the new mark on his toy. Not only was this a bruise of beautiful color, since the mallet was spiked, there were many holes bleeding. Shukaku attached his mouth to the mark and sucked. Sasuke screamed again, a mixture of pain and pleasure coursing through him.

The song replaying in Shukaku's head was becoming softer, but he didn't notice, too preoccupied with his 'art' to pay attention to such things. Gaara consciousness was waking up, and when it opened its figurative eyes, it scrambled to take control of its body. Shukaku had now cut both Sasuke's legs, had decorated his chest with several bruises cuts and bites, and his face only held one large bruise. Gaara pulled, he tugged he fought, and slowly, too slowly, he started to regain control. Shukaku went down fighting, mentally biting and clawing the whole way to the back of his mind. Gaara's darker side was in control for the moment and he couldn't help himself from suckling on the freshest of cuts that was high up on Sasuke's left thigh. Gaara struggled some more and was finally able to gain full control over his errant body. He instantly pulled back from Sasuke's leg.

"Sasuke!" he nearly shouted. Sasuke's half lidded eyes blinked and opened all the way. Gaara's concerned face appeared before him. Gaara's face… not Shukaku's. Sasuke nearly cried, so happy was he that it was Gaara before him.

Gaara grabbed a razor, and Sasuke flinched. Trying his best to ignore the panic written all over Sasuke's face, Gaara clasped the raven haired boys bound wrists and cut the duct tape. Sasuke slumped to the floor and Gaara cut more duct tape to free his wrists. Sasuke immediately brought his hands down and wrapped his arms around himself. Gaara felt a large twinge of guilt and turned around hurriedly to cut the binds from Sasuke's feet. As soon as Sasuke was free, he curled in on himself in the fetal position. Gaara flinched and stood up, walking to the door.

"I'll go find the first aid kit," he mumbled and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

LETmeCRY: Waahhh... :big hugs: Thanks thanks,its going by so fast. My baby is already 17 chapters old. It makes me proud. Ah, and a fellow ANGST lover! Yay! I love ANGST, and I'm pretty decent at writing it. AGNST!

Gaara'siceprincess: Mwa ha ha ha... I couldn't help myself. I had to give y'all a cliffie, I normally am not that bad. But it makes you want to find out what happens soooo much more. Thanks for the review!

sei mong: He he he... I couldn't help myself, I felt like being evil. 0:) Totally. I just couldn't being myself to torture Sasuke too much. I hate raising my rating, and I totally suck at any form of lemon. Thanks for the review.

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: He he he... technically there's still a chance to be 111 :) but if you really want me to write a fic for ya, I'd be happy to try. I'm INSPIRED lately. Woo. And thanks so much for all your reviews!

Ninee Kisuragi: heh, if anyone lived like Gaara they'd be pretty messed up. Poor Gaa-chan, he leads such a hard life. Heh... but yeah, thanks for the review!

puptastic25: Yeah, I guess it is a bit of a random pairing... Heck, I don't even know how I picked it up. :shrug: I hope ya liked this dark chappie. Thanks for the review!

Brooklyn'sGurl: Yesh! Gaara fought back! Yay! But it will most likely lead no where good, his father's one evil SOB. Hope what Gaara did to Sasu wasn't too horrible for ya. :) Thanks for the continuing support! Much luv!

Jenanien: he he he... yes, Sasu got it, prolly not what you were thinking, but he still got something nasty. Gaara's not a totally evil devil, but he's pretty bad, ne? Thanks for the review!

ChibiChaolan: Ah but reviewing always helps, even if it's just a random emoticon. Reviews can inspire, or encourage the author. If its constructive criticism then that author can try to improve their craft. All reviews are nice (except flames, those are not cool). And wow, my little baby of a story helped you like Gaara a bit more? That's pretty awesome. :) I feel special. Thanks so much for the review!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Heh... not humor in this one. Much Angst. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I got inspired to have Sasuke molest Gaa-chan at dinner thanks to you. Inspiration my friend. Its all good. Thanks ever so much for all your support and reviews!


	18. Guilty Explanations

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, its that simple

**If:** 15 freaking reviews... the madness of it all! OMG, I can't believe it. Seriously, all those reviews take up one whole page... Craziness. Well, I'm glad you all enjoy this so much. Wow. Review replies are at the bottom kiddies.

**Warning:** More blood, talk of slitting wrists,general darkness, and hints at rape, among other things

* * *

The silence in the room was awkward to say the least. Gaara was just looking at Sasuke, who sat on the other side of the room, and Sasuke just looked at the floor, his head resting on his drawn up knees. Gaara didn't like the silence, or the tension. His hands had long ago started twisting and turning out of pure nervousness. It seemed as if Sasuke wasn't going to say anything any time soon, and Gaara frankly didn't blame him. Heck, Gaara wouldn't blame Sasuke if he said he didn't want anything to do with Gaara anymore. No, there was no fault to Sasuke, all the blame belong to him. It was all his fault. It always was… wasn't it? 

Yes, Gaara thought, it really was all his fault. Everything was his fault. Always was. Ever since he was born it had been his fault. His mother's death, Yashamaru, those many incidents at school, all the people he had hurt in some way, Sasuke… the list could go on forever. Gaara knew he had stepped on a lot of peoples' toes to stay alive. He was a nuisance, a waste of space, a… demon. Maybe his father was right… His father. _Shit_. He had just fought back, hadn't he? How stupid was that? He shouldn't have fought back; no matter how independent and sure of himself he had felt. The man was right anyway; Gaara was a demon who deserved to die. Why had he ever doubted that simple truth that had been beaten into his skull all of his life? _Sasuke_. Sure, some random guy he barely knew but was irrevocably attracted to had given him some sort of strength to believe that he was worthy of the air he breathed. How had he given in to that feeling? Surely the years upon years of abuse and hateful yet true words had made him impervious to such ploys of feeling? Obviously not.

Gaara patted the ground beside him and his fingers brushed across one of the many razors that had been stored in that black box. Gaara grasped it between his fingers and raised it to eye level to get a look at it. The metal was gleaming in the dim lighting of the room and Gaara was transfixed by the sight of it. Such a cruel instrument, the razor. It was so blunt, so to the point. You couldn't doubt a razor's intentions, it was there to cut and that was that. There was no mystery, just the cold, cruel truth. Razors were a true tool for art, as Shukaku would say. Gaara licked his dry lips. The cool metal between his fingers was calling, singing, cajoling for blood. Shining, untainted metal wished to be soaked in the essence of Gaara's very life. Maybe he could do the world a favor and finally end his pathetic existence. It looked so tempting, the metal, his scared, yet unbleeding wrist… one little cut wouldn't hurt.

Gaara switched the razor to his right hand, noticing idly that his wrist was indeed slit on the right side and that it was slit in the proper way to kill ones self, length wise. Gaara just shrugged it off and brought the razor to his left wrist, planning on slitting it width wise, though it really wouldn't matter soon, his other wrist was still bleeding and he was beginning to get light headed.

Sasuke, meanwhile, was trying to bring his mind out of his own darkness. Memories of things he'd rather not remember were streaming through his head. Rape, torture, pets, owners, used, abused and left for dead… he couldn't handle the flow of horrid thoughts of the past. He didn't want to remember how it had all gone downhill from that incident of being a pet. He didn't want to see how he had become less than human, a toy used for sex or a twisted obsession with causing others pain. Sasuke didn't want to remember being bent over desks, tables, thrown on the floor, the backseat of cars where he had been used like a common whore. Nights devoid of sleep, trying to make sure that no one would come for him and force him to do those things again. Sasuke's mind was hurting and he couldn't handle it. He looked across the room to see what was going on with Gaara, his beautiful angel who had hurt him so. Sasuke knew that he didn't love him any less. Yes, love him. Gaara was placing the razor on his wrist.

"Shit!" Sasuke shouted and scrambled across the room. He grabbed hold of the wrist of Gaara's right arm and pulled it back away from his left, unintentionally making Gaara nick his wrist. Gaara only groaned, and Sasuke noticed that there was something very wrong with his precious light in the darkness. Gaara's right wrist was already slit. When had this happened? Sasuke cursed.

"Where did you put the first aid kit Gaara?" Sasuke asked desperately. Gaara only groaned in response. Sasuke's eyes frantically searched the room for the elusive kit, seeing it by the door. Sasuke managed to get onto his feet and stumbled over to the door. Grabbing the handle, he bent down and picked up the kit before straightening and heading back to Gaara, who seemed to be slipping in and out of consciousness.

"Stay with me," Sasuke murmured, fumbling through the kit and finding bandages and antiseptic and anything else he would need, Sasuke grabbed a t-shirt that had been lying on the ground and applied it to Gaara's wrist, holding it there with all the pressure he could, trying to stop the blood from flowing.

"Why is it I can't seem to hate you?" Sasuke asked the now unconscious Gaara. "It doesn't make sense. I've always hated everyone that's hurt me, so why can't I hate you?"

* * *

Sasuke looked at the still sleeping Gaara, wondering if he would be alright. It had taken a while for the blood to stop flowing, and even then Sasuke was worried with how much Gaara had lost. Sasuke had wrapped and bandaged the wound, making sure that he did everything in his power, and to his knowledge to help his red haired angel. And since when had Gaara been his angel? Sasuke still barely knew the guy. How could he be his angel after such a short period of time? And how did Sasuke know with such certainty that he loved the red haired beauty? 

Sasuke sighed. This all was moving so fast, happening too quickly to comprehend. Everything was becoming one big blur that was incomprehensible. Too much, too quickly… Sasuke knew with a dark sense of doom that this would turn out badly in the end. Anything that happened this fast always turned out bad in the end.

A groan from Gaara startled Sasuke out of his thoughts. A little hesitantly, the raven haired boy poked Gaara into waking, preparing himself to dash for it if 'Shukaku' came out again. Gaara's green eyes just blinked open wearily and Sasuke heaved a sigh of relief as confusion and emotions raced across those endless depths of green.

"Wha?" Gaara questioned, trying to sit up from his position of lying on the ground. Sasuke put a hand to his chest and forced him to stay lying down, though he did move to let Gaara's head rest in his lap, though it was a bit painful.

"You passed out from blood loss," Sasuke murmured. Gaara just gave him a questioning look. "Your wrist was slit and was bleeding."

Gaara's mouth opened in an 'oh.' Bringing his hand up to look at his wrist, Gaara blinked uncomprehending eyes. Gaara tugged on the bandage wrapping his wrist and Sasuke slapped his hand away.

"Don't do that," Sasuke scolded. Gaara just looked at him.

It seemed that it was then that Gaara's mind caught up to the situation he was in now. Bolting upright, Gaara scrambled a few feet away from Sasuke, falling into a deep bow, his head resting on the floor. Sasuke just blinked surprised eyes at him.

"I'm sorry," Gaara muttered, barely hearable. Sasuke almost didn't catch the words. Sighing Sasuke just nodded.

"Apology accepted," Sasuke said, Gaara didn't move. "Get up, you're embarrassing me."

Gaara sat back up, folding his hands demurely in his lap. Sasuke just stared at him for a few moments before blinking out of his slight daze.

"There are some things I want explained," he said, Gaara nodded numbly. "First off, who the hell is 'Shukaku?'?"

Gaara shuddered; he really, _really_ didn't want to explain that abomination in his head to Sasuke, or anyone for that matter. But Gaara knew that he owed that much to the boy he had nearly killed unintentionally.

"Shukaku is my split personality," Gaara said.

"… I know that much Gaara," Sasuke said. Gaara sighed, hanging his head.

"Sorry… I just… its just… I don't really care to talk about it or acknowledge it, or think about it for that matter," Gaara muttered. Sasuke could understand why.

"How did you gain this… thing?" Sasuke asked. Gaara twitched visibly.

"He appeared slightly after Yashamaru died," Gaara said. Sasuke nodded knowingly and Gaara raised an eyebrow. "Why are you nodding like you know what I'm talking about?"

Sasuke blanched slightly. "Well… you see… Naruto and Temari kind of told me about Yashamaru… sort of…"

Gaara twitched again. "I'm going to hurt them later… but in the meantime it saves me from having to explain all of that."

Sasuke flinched; he may have just signed Naruto and Temari's death certificates.

"Shukaku actually developed over my childhood, according to my psychologist, but he became a separate personality after the 'tragic' death of my uncle Yashamaru," Gaara rattled off, seeming to be reading from a script. He barked out a short laugh. "It makes sense, it really does since my mind is dark on its own… its just sad that due to my own screwed up mental state, I couldn't handle it so I created a more 'evil' self after that bastard betrayed me."

Sasuke nodded silently. Gaara seemed to be going off on his own.

"Shukaku is the most sadistic part of my mind. He's depraved, his sadistic, he lusts for blood, and he hates me," Gaara stated. Sasuke stared at Gaara. "That's the only reason why I don't think I created him. Because, though I may hate myself and may want to end my miserable excuse for an existence, he tries to hurt the few people that care about. He takes pleasure in my pain. That creature lives for blood, the pain of others, and most of all: to make my life even more of a living hell.

"I first met Naruto on a day where he was hovering close to the surface, ready to lash out. We fought and though he technically won, the both of us were shipped off to the hospital… ironically we've been best friends ever since then… but that's something else. Shukaku is evil, pure and simple."

Sasuke kept nodding, but Gaara stopped talking.

"What else do you want me to say?" Gaara asked, raising an invisible eyebrow. Sasuke blinked.

"Uh… what's with his 'art' fetish-y thing?" Sasuke asked, shuddering slightly. Gaara flinched.

"… He believes that every human is a blank canvas just waiting to be decorated with the paints of pain. Bruises, cuts, scrapes, scabs, bite marks, hickeys, and other things are the colors with which the 'talented artist' paints. He believes that the greatest work of art is a corpse. Sometimes, after he takes control, I find that I've been looking at pictures of various corpses at crime scenes on the computer," Gaara explained. Sasuke flinched.

"So you're not really conscious when he takes over?" he asked. Gaara nodded.

"I sort of fade out. I'll be the way I am now, but my mind will start to deteriorate into dark thoughts, I'll start to think about hurting people, and blood and the pain of others, but I'll still be myself. The darker I get, the closer I get to him. A song… a song is always the sign of his arrival. Its this song called "Coin-operated boy" by The Dresden Dolls. When that song starts to play in my mind, he's waking up and starting to take over. When its all I can hear, other than his taunts, then he's pretty much taken over. It's the last thing I hear, and his face is the last thing I see before he takes full control," Gaara said. "The next thing I'll know is that bad things have happened and that I'm not where I used to be."

Sasuke pondered this for a while as Gaara just fidgeted. Finally Sasuke looked up at him again.

"I think that I want to know everything Gaara," he said. "I need to know. I don't hate you for what happened, but… I just need to know."

Gaara nodded. "I'll tell you only if you tell me everything, fair is fair. And I'm not giving you all this dirt on me to not have anything on you."

Gaara held out his hand.

"Agreed," Sasuke said, taking Gaara's hand.

* * *

Alcorion: Thanks for the two wonderful reviews! I'm glad you like my humble little story so much! Thanks! 

ChibiChaolan: I am the updating machine! I like updating every other day, b/c I have this feeling that if I didn't I'd lose interest in this story (that's seriously happened to me before... I hate that), and I really don't want to lose interest in this and just stop, or do a cop-out ending.And wow, I got that much of a response out of you from reading that chapter? Wow. I didn't know that chapter was so effective. Sweetness. Me? 'Talented and inspirational'? I'm flattered. I've never thought I was that good. Thanks so much, I feel like I've gotten pretty good at writing if you're calling me that. Good luck on your Sims of Gaa-chan and Sasu-kun! I'm sure you'll get them down! Thanks so much for the wonderous review!

LETmeCRY: He he he... I think you're right. The start of a beautiful, sadomasichistic relationship. I rock your world? The sweetness of it all is beyond description. Thanks for the review!

puptastic25: I'm glad you liked that last chapter! Each chapter better than the last? That's a tall bill to fill, I hope that I don't disappoint you on that. Thanks for the review!

wIthOUt A nAmE: Ah yes, the scary/goodness of it all. I'm afraid it just wouldn't be Gaara without some scary shit (from Shukaku and himself). And yeah, a vulnerable Sasu, he's got his reasons for being like that, which we'll find out soon I believe. Thanks so much for the review!

Kyouki no Kyuuketsuki: I'm glad you liked it so much my fellow sadist! I was a bit afraid that people wouldn't like my torture, but y'all have taken to it like crazy. I hope I updated quick enough for ya! Thanks for the review!

sei mong: Pretty? Hmm... wasn't expecting that sort of reaction, but whatever. Thanks for the review!

Jenanien: he he he... I think you're right. Gaara needs a smidge of help. And I just knew you were thinking something else. I hope that I surprised ya with that. Thanks for the review!

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: lol, I can't feel sorry for him either. I used to like him, but now he's evil. Yup. Evil. So I don't mind torturing him one bit, but then again, I so love him with Gaara. Meh. He may be evil, but I can't help but like him, when he's not being Orochimaru's lap dog. And I know! 17 chapters! Its crazy! And long! I haven't written anything long in ... over a year. Its awesome! Thanks so much for all the support!

Demonchildssister: Woah indeed. Mwa ha ha... I like rendering people speechless, it makes me feel accomplished... or maybe I'm just sadistic or someting... Thanks for the review!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Heh, interesting indeed. Gotta keep you readers on your toes! You never know what will pop into my mind and make its way onto paper. Thanks so much for the review!

RabidFangirlMoo : Mwa ha ha ha... oh yeah. The Angst and Sadism! I'm loved! Sweet! Thanks for the review!

Brooklyn'sGurl: Yesh, Shukaku is an artist of the canvas of the body, only he doesn't use ink. Twistedness. I hope that Sasuke's reactions aren't too... what's the word... unrealistic. I understand that he's just been practically tortured, but Gaara is still his light. Like, how when someone's in an abusive relationship that they just can't get out of because they "love" the other person. He just can't get away... but yeah... a little on the explanation-y side there... Thanks so much for all the support!

RenegadeMustang : Wow, this must be pretty sweet if I got the same awesome review from you three times! Lol. Ah, a meat tenderizer... hmm, its hard to explain... can be metal or wood, has a handle with a rectangle at the top which has sharp little points on it... I stink at describing, so if I confused you ignore me... And Gaara indeed did have some explaining to do. :) I know, sometimes there is some humor, I try not to keep it dark all the time. I'm glad you like Gaara's twitch-y moments! I'll write something and then twitch and I'll be like "Gaara would so twitch at that"... its awesome. Thanks so much for the awesome review!

**Wow, and a big thanks to all my lovely readers (reviewers and non-reviewers)! I love y'all!**


	19. A Tortured Three Years

**Disclaimer:** I just torture them, I don't own them.

**If:** Welcome readers to the 19th chapter of A Day in the Life! Party! Sorry this is a bit slow coming out, but I was really busy the other day and didn't get to write! TT The sadness of it all.

This is a short announcement that starting next chapter (20) I will be using the neat Reply system thing FF has going on. So those of you who leave a signed review will be getting one of those fun little emails saying I replied. So don't forget to check your mail! XP I love replying to y'all. For those of you who leave anon reviews, I'll still reply at either the beginning or end of the story, depending on how many of you there are.

**Warning:** Dark material! Torture, Rape, other such things! Beware!

* * *

Gaara just looked at Sasuke for a moment, and Sasuke just looked back at him. Gaara was trying to figure out how much Sasuke knew if Naruto and Temari had told him about Yashamaru then he'd know just a fraction of the story. All Gaara knew about Sasuke was that his family was slaughtered, he hated his brother and he disappeared from the face of the earth for three years. Sasuke knew that his father was abusive, his uncle tried to kill him and that his siblings didn't like him very much early on in his life. Sasuke knew details, Gaara just knew the basics. 

"You're starting," he said, breaking the silence. Sasuke blinked at him.

"Why do I have to start? I'm the one who was tortured by your split personality a little while ago, I deserve to know before you," Sasuke retorted. Gaara just deadpanned at him.

"You know more about me than I know about you," Gaara stated simply. Sasuke sighed and hung his head.

"Fine," he said defeated. "Where do you want me to start?"

"Three years ago," Gaara said. Sasuke shuddered.

"I was afraid of that…"

* * *

Three years ago I left Konoha. I had met Orochimaru, the man I left with, half a year prior. He was a teacher at the college Itachi was attending. I don't remember exactly why I had to go with my bastard brother to meet and greet all his teachers, but I did. I got stuck hanging around Orochimaru most of the time, and we chatted about various things, the political state of the country, some new scientific discoveries we were reading about, various policies that were being enforced over seas, and the like. I found that we had similar tastes in what we were interested in… but to be frank, he creeped the hell out of me. He just seemed like one of those closet pervert pedophile types. Not the type of person I wanted to be around. 

I don't know how he got our home address, but he found it somewhere and started to keep a correspondence with me. I haven't the slightest idea why I returned his letters with letters of my own. All I know is that now that I think back on it, it was a really stupid thing to do. He was a crazy pervert stalker pedophile…

But anyway, three years ago it all came to a head. I couldn't stand the atmosphere at home. My brother, who never took notice of me before, was bed-ridden and becoming possessive. I couldn't go anywhere, I couldn't see anyone, and I couldn't do anything. He was controlling my life from a bed. I hated him so much. I had gotten into this hug fight with Naruto, which he seems to have conveniently forgotten… and Sakura was practically molesting me every time she saw me. So when Orochimaru said that he was going to go to New York and that he'd like to take me with him to privately educate me, I jumped at the chance to get away. I asked Naruto to come over the day before I was going to leave. We spent the whole day together and patched up our relationship. Then I dropped the bomb. He just walked out on me. Left me standing, alone in the foyer of the house, stunned.

I hadn't expected his reaction to be so… negative. Orochimaru came to pick me up at six in the morning the next day. No one but Naruto knew that I was leaving. I left without so much as a goodbye and disappeared off the radar for three years.

The first three months were fine. Orochimaru had an apartment in New York and he let me stay with him. He'd teach me every day, always making time in his apparently busy schedule to take the time to impart some new information to me. I was having the time of my life. I had transferred any money I had to a different bank, I got a debit card, and I was living it up in New York. I saw new shows on Broadway, I shopped in all the best stores, and I learned much more than I would have in any normal school.

But at the end of three months, it all went sour. It was a Thursday I think, that he took me out. He slapped a leather collar around my neck "for my own protection" and he took me to a bondage club. I was only fourteen. I was put with all the other 'pets' while he went off and did whatever it was he did. I was scared, I didn't know what was going on, and I had this sinking feeling that from now on all bets were off and that I was no longer his pupil, but his slave.

I was taken home with him and his 'graduate' student Kabuto. At the age of fourteen, I was tied forcibly to the small bed in the master bedroom. The first time it was rape. I was only fourteen, I knew what was happening, but I couldn't do anything about it. I was raped.

From that first night on, I had to wear that leather collar. If I took it off I was punished. Punishment would range from being hit with a leather belt, to being cut with various sharp objects, to being forced to suck them off. It didn't matter to them. I had unwittingly become just another missing kid who had stupidly walked into a predators trap. Whatever became of me was my own fault.

Days were spent cleaning, slaving over the stove, and randomly being shoved against a wall and being taken against my will. I couldn't fight back, because Orochimaru had power in New York, he had connections, and he had managed to dope up my brother just enough one night to gain custody over me. Anything he did was within his rights, as he would say before every deplorable thing he force me to do. He was my guardian, and even if I ran away and managed to get a case against him, it would be taken off the books, I would be virtually repossessed and throw back into his care without so much as a backward glance. No childcare services would find out, and if I ran to one of them they'd be handsomely paid to keep quiet. I was just a missing child that no one knew about, who was in the hands of a maniacal genius who had clearly thought through all of this.

I tried to run away within the first month that my situation changed. But every time I would run, the police would be sent out for me. Orochimaru had high ranking officers in the palm of his hand. They would scour the city, and no matter where I'd hide, no matter how hard I ran, they would always find and catch me. I would be bound, gagged, and dragged back to the police car. They'd throw me in the backseat spread my legs and fuck me.

Orochimaru would develop this penchant for torture every time I would come back, battered, bruised and bleeding from places that shouldn't bleed. He would strip me down and try out a new 'toy' he would have bought off the black market. Every time was something new. I vaguely remember one instance where he had found an anal pear to try out. I don't remember much after that. He tried thumb screws once, but decided that it would be a bit too much of a hassle to drag me to the hospital to get me fixed up. I didn't try to run after that.

Torture became a daily thing. Cuts, bruises, welts… I grew immune to the pain after a short six months. Six months straight of torture. Nothing but torture. I wasn't touched in a sexual way, I wasn't taught, and I was just tortured for six months. He'd beat me and leave me tied up to the bed for days on end, leaving the apartment and not coming back until I couldn't bear the thirst or hunger anymore. Then he'd feed me a large meal and watch with a twisted amusement as I was violently sick because of too much food, too fast. I would be cut and then shoved into a pitch black closet for a week, with food being discreetly shoved in during the middle of the night so that no light would shine into the room. I could've sworn during times like that that there were other children in the closet with me, talking to me in eerie voices.

The next six months were something I don't want to remember, nor do I want to talk about it. It was in those months that I became acquainted familiarly to just about any friend that Orochimaru had.

A year was passed in a seemingly normal fashion. He went back to teaching me. If I misbehaved I knew what would happen. The walls of the closet I called my room, were decorated with pictures. Not pictures of friends, since I didn't have any, but pictures taken while I was at my lowest. The pictures were of me being tortured, of me being raped, or any other deplorable act I was forced to endure.

It was during this time that I discovered letters from old friends, from a nearly forgotten time. Orochimaru had been receiving letters from a worried Sakura, and a remorseful Naruto, not to mention my bastard brother. It didn't seem as if they had been replied to either. All he did was collect them in a draw of his desk. I spent a day, having been good and not been tied to something, reading them all. I've never cried so much in all my life. It broke my shattered heart to read their pleas for response, to read their worries, and their hopes that I was alright.

I realized just what I had lost in coming to be with Orochimaru. I had lost two of the best friends I would ever receive. It didn't matter how annoying or think headed they were. They were my friends and they had meant the world to me. To abandon them was just too cruel, even for me. Even Naruto, who always said I was a bastard and that he hated me, was pleading and begging and you could tell that he had cried once or twice.

I put the letters back the exact way they had been, having not even touched the letters my brother had written. I crawled back into my closet of a room and waited patiently for the next time I was told to go out and get things. I saved up spare change, I withdrew dollars from my account, and soon I had $40 stashed in my room. When Orochimaru gave me his credit card and told me to buy office supplies, I hid the cash in my pocket and headed out. I grabbed envelopes and stamps and anything that he had wanted, being careful to put what I had bought somewhere he wouldn't find it on my person.

I began to correspond with my friends over the last of my years there. Together we formulated a plan that was to be set into motion to free me from the hell I had gotten myself in. Money was discreetly sent to them and after a while they were able to buy me a ticket for a plane to get me back. It was around this time that Orochimaru decided to mark me.

I was woken up early one morning, dressed in normal clothes that were a bit too tight and small for me, I recognized them as clothes I had brought with me two years ago when I had run off with Orochimaru. I was taken to a tattoo parlor and there Orochimaru put his 'seal' on me. Its not bad, but if I had been there any longer it would have progressed until it was all over my body, marking every inch of me.

The day finally came. The ticket had arrived in the mail; the date for departure was that evening. Orochimaru had left for the day, saying something about 'educating' his faithful minion Kabuto. I ran through the apartment and grabbed some clothes that would fit me and wouldn't look suspicious. I cracked open the lock to Orochimaru's safe, having long since memorized the combination, and grabbed all my necessary papers. I grabbed any things I wanted to take with me, which was practically nothing; the only thing I had grabbed was a necklace that had been sent in one of Naruto's letters. I unlocked the door and snuck out. I knocked on a friendly neighbor's door, the lady who lived to the left had always visited me and took care of me while Orochimaru was out, and I left through her window, traveling down the fire escape.

I ran downtown, to the heart of the city and called a cab. I climbed in and told him to get to the airport and hurry. It took forty minutes to get there, but it flew by so quickly that I barely noticed. I hurried through security, and sat at the terminal waiting to board my plane. At six forty five the plane started to be boarded and I got in line. It was then that I heard an announcement over the P.A. system, saying that the police were looking for someone of my description. I got on the plane. We took off ten minutes later.

When I disembarked from the plane, made my way back through security and looked for my friends, who had said they were going to pick me up, I was surprised to see a sober and normal looking Itachi.

* * *

Gaara just stared at Sasuke for a while, floored by the information overload. Three years of this boy's life were so much worse than his whole life, or so it seemed. Gaara surprised them both by doing something he had never done in his whole life: he hugged Sasuke.

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mylastbreath92: Thank you for the nice review! 

Princess Terenity: Mou, thank you so much for the nice words! I try to be as descriptive as I can to draw the reader into my twisted little world. I'm glad you think its original! I try. I've been inspired by so many different SasuGaa stories that in the beginning it was heavily influenced by them. But now it has a life of its own. :) I'm also happy that it makes you laugh! I'm not sure if I'm a funny person, but I'm glad that I can amuse people with my work. In regards to chap 17, either ff was being evil, or I'm just a twisted person...

xX-Angel.Eater-xX: Wow, you almost cried because of Gaa-chan? Wow. Luckily for us Sasu was there to stop his downward spiralling thoughts. And wow! I didn't know so many people knew about the Dresden Dolls, let alone Coin Operated Boy. I'm so glad y'all get that reference and know what I'm talking about. And yes, definitly dirt on Sasu. Mwa ha ha ha...

Gaara'siceprincess: Heh... oops? I guess I'm just horrible when it comes to cliffies... They're so evil, and I sometimes don't realize I've written them. Hope you liked this chapter!

puptastic25: I'll admit it, I was pretty "WTF" when I first saw this pairing, but its grown on me like a fungus. I don't know why, but it just has this dark quality that just resonates with me (maybe because I like being able to torture characters...)... I'm glad you like the pairing now! Yay! And yes... the poor psychiatrist. He prolly went a little insane. XP

sei mong: He he he... if you're weird I'm weird as well. Blood and broken toys are pretty, in their own special twisted way. Good times. Thanks for the review!

Brooklyn'sGurl: Good, I was worried for a while that it would seem a little quick, and it is, but I don't think that he can stop himself from forgiving Gaara. Heh, I'm pretty sure that Gaara's gonna be sorry that he asked for Sasuke's history... Poor angsty little bishies... I make their lives so hard. XD

iaishounenai: I was worried that people would think that he got over it a little too quickly. But I think of it as though Sasuke can't help but not hold Gaara accountable. Sure it was a traumatic experience, but its like an abusive relationship, he knows it bad for him and he hates that its happening, but he can't leave, he can't stop loving the person that hurts him so... or I might just be going off on a tangent... He he he... and I'll agree with you, its impossible to hate Gaa-chan, he's just too awesome to dislike.:)

Demonchildssister: It is a good song. Love it to death. I wish I could work in one of their songs from the new cd "Yes Virginia..." though... hmmm...

RabidFangirlMoo : Sweet! Muffins! I love muffins! Muffins are joy! Thanks so much!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Totally, Sasu to the rescue! I'm sure that Sasu will be able to teach Gaa-chan how to love, and Gaara will return the favor. They're both a bit... jaded. But totally, it will be interesting to see where this all leads.

ChibiChaolan: I inspired a drawing! So cool! That's so awesome! I wish I could see it! What? I'm one of the only people who responds to your wonderful reviews? That's horrible! People should always reply to the wonderful people that complement or critique their work! Ah, losing interest is so horrible. I had two stories over a year ago that I had been writing for a year respectively, and suddenly I just wasn't interested anymore. They died off. And while I ended one of them satisfactorily, the other one just... ended. It was so sad. And early this year I tried my hand at a new chaptered fic and I got 3 chapters out before it died. Truly sad. But oh well, its all in the past. :) Thanks so much so for not only reviewing bu conversing with me, I like this. :)


	20. Physical Attraction

**Disclaimer:** This is the most tedious part of anything... if Naruto was mine I wouldn't be doing one of these...

**If:** Welcome one and all to the 20th chapter! The big 2-0! This is a wonderfully rewarding SasuGaa chapter. Woo! A break from ANGST!... I like angst... meh, no worries, it'll be back next chapter... MWA HA HA HA... I mean, I'm not evil in any way shape or form.

And though y'all with signed in reviews have no doubt noticed, I replied to them just before I put this sucker up. So thanks to all my beautiful (b/c you're all as gorgeous as the most perfect rose) reviewers!

**Warning:** SasuGaa! What does that mean in layman's terms? Two horny guys... together. :D

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RabidFangirlMoo : He he he... poor Sasu... sure. I'll say that I enjoyed torturing him for the simple fact that I read chapter 307 and got really mad at the heartless jerk... but anyway. Yeah, currently Sasu is the reigning emo champ, but we'll see if Gaara doesn't pass him up. :) I'm liking the emo scale... emo...

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Mou, thanks.I love detail. :) Detail makes the fictional world so much clearer and emmersive. Love it. And you'll just have to see what happens, eh:D I have this sneaking feeling that you're going to love this chapter.

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Gaara's arms had moved of their own accord, really. In fact, they were still moving of their own accord, hugging the raven haired teen closer. Gaara found himself plastered to Sasuke, as if holding on for dear life… which he wasn't. Gaara was just… aw hell, even he couldn't deny that he was clinging onto the other boy as if he were the only life raft in sight after being afloat in the middle of the ocean without a raft. On top of it all was the feeling of guilt that was starting to bubble up from the back of his mind. Hadn't Sasuke just said something about six months of straight torture?

Gaara pulled away so quickly Sasuke barely even registered that the warmth that had been on his chest was now gone. Sasuke could swear he still felt Gaara in his arms, but the red head was now a good five feet away and still backing up.

"Gaara?" he asked timidly, worried about the red head that only flinched and started to scoot away faster. "What's the matter?"

Gaara only shook his head and held up his hands as if to shield himself from the other boy who was quickly crawling over to him. Gaara bumped into the far wall, trapped now between two walls and a confused Uchiha.

"Gaara?" Sasuke asked again reaching out for the other boy. Gaara shied away and crossed his arms in front of himself to shield himself from the oncoming hands. Sasuke's brow furrowed. It seemed as if he was missing something.

"How can you even look at me?" Gaara asked. Sasuke's brow creased more. "Didn't I just torture you?"

Sasuke sighed and hung his head, flinching behind the curtain of his hair. He looked up and reached for Gaara again, who only shied away. The Uchiha pulled the other boy into a loose embrace.

"Yes you did," Sasuke said. Gaara tried to get away and Sasuke tightened his hold. "But… it was different from what that… creep did. For one, you didn't include any snakes… and for two, I know that it wasn't you."

Gaara looked up at Sasuke with wide eyes. If Sasuke had been anyone else he would have said "Awww…" but this was Sasuke, so he settled for a perverted grin and running his hands over a now frowning and squirming Gaara.

"That was such a… _delicious_ look you just had on your face," he purred into Gaara's ear, nipping at it. Gaara shuddered and tried pushing the Uchiha away. Sasuke just licked Gaara's ear before nipping at his neck.

Gaara finally managed to break away and press his back against a wall but not before Sasuke had left a mark on his neck. "How can you just start to molest me after all that!"

Sasuke shrugged. "It's all in the past after all."

"That creep could come looking for you!" Gaara exclaimed, almost forgetting it was now the middle of the night and that he didn't want to wake up his father. Sasuke paused for a moment and his face became serious.

"Its true, Orochimaru could come after me… but Itachi is working on getting my custody back, I'm almost 18 and free of both of them, and I would rather like to just pretend it all didn't happen and start over… with you," Sasuke said, adding the 'with you' in a quiet voice, but not quiet enough for Gaara not to hear. The red head blushed brightly, and turned his face away from the Uchiha. Sasuke looked at Gaara for a moment before reaching out and gently brushing his fingertips to Gaara's left cheek, encouraging him to look at him again. Gaara looked at him with shining eyes.

"You barely know me," Gaara whispered. "How could you want to try and start all over again with someone you barely know? Why would you want to try and do that with a monster like me?"

Sasuke flinched at the word monster. "One: you're not a monster. You are … amazing, to be frank. I can't describe you, that's how wonderful you seem to me. And two: that's what we're doing right now isn't it? Getting to know each other?"

Gaara seemed to think it over for a moment. Sasuke took the opportunity and moved to sit next to Gaara, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. It took Gaara a while, but eventually he nodded.

"See? I want to get to know you. I want to know everything there is to know about you," Sasuke said, leaning over to kiss Gaara's cheek. "How could anyone not want to know everything about you?"

And with that Sasuke kissed Gaara. Gaara didn't fight it, his mind was rushing everywhere at once and there were too many things that he was trying to comprehend to fight the lips gently placed to his. This kiss was unlike the kisses they had half-hazardously shared before. The time where a half Shukaku half Gaara had locked lips with Sasuke to lap at his blood was nearly forgotten. The kiss in the shower was fundamentally different from this kiss. Though that kiss had started soft and turned heated, this was just a press of lips so gentle it was barely detectable. There was no urgency, there was not fire-y passion, this was just soft and all encompassing. This kiss made Gaara feel loved.

It was Sasuke who pulled away, looking at Gaara through half lidded eyes. Gaara grabbed the collar of the raven haired boy's shirt and pulled him back, once again locking lips.

Gaara tried to replicate the kiss he had just received, but found that his lips were moving on their own, much like how his arms had moved without him only moments before. His lips were gently sliding along Sasuke's trying to coax him into joining, which didn't take long at all. Lips moved against one another, but the kiss still remained blissfully sweet and innocent. But when Gaara's tongue snuck out of his mouth to gently caress Sasuke's lips, the kiss changed personality. Sasuke's arms wrapped themselves around Gaara's neck and Gaara's wound around Sasuke's waist, abandoning the collar of his shirt. Sasuke's mouth opened and Gaara's tongue dipped into that deliciously warm cavern.

Running his tongue along every reachable crevice of Sasuke's mouth, Gaara finally dipped his tongue down to caress Sasuke's own tongue. The muscle instantly responded to the gentle caress and soon they were both fighting for dominance over one another in Sasuke's mouth.

Both boys pulled away to catch their breath before mouths crashed back against one another, teeth cracking. Lips smacked, tongues fought and Gaara soon found himself straddling Sasuke's waist while pinning the other boy against the wall. In his clouded mind Gaara barely registered that one of them was moaning. Or maybe it was both of them who were moaning. Gaara's hands were traveling the front of the Uchiha and Sasuke's were now tightly gripping Gaara's slim hips. At a tug from Sasuke, Gaara found himself gasping and tilting his head back in pleasure as their hips finally met. Sasuke growled and leaned forward to attack Gaara's neck with his mouth.

Gaara was swimming in sensation, but one thought made its way through his hazy mind: it was too soon. If he didn't stop this now, he wouldn't be able to stop it, even though he really didn't want to stop it. Gaara knew that if they did this now they would regret it. Or maybe it would just be Gaara doing the regretting, Sasuke definitely wanted him from the first second he laid eyes on Gaara and wouldn't regret having him in the least. A sharp pain raced through Gaara's chest. What if this was all Sasuke wanted? What if he was just using the 'I want to know you' card just to get into his pants?

Gaara pressed the heel of his hands against Sasuke's shoulders and pushed him back. The raven haired boy kept his talented mouth on Gaara's throat for as long as he could, his hands trying to pull that sweet ambrosia known as Gaara back to him. His lust clouded eyes looked up at the red head and he tried his best to sober up from his lust-y state. There was darkness, hollowness to Gaara's eyes that shouldn't be there, not now, not while they were…

"Gaara?" he managed to choke out, voice hoarse with lust still. Gaara shook his head, the hollow darkness disappeared from his eyes, but Sasuke had a feeling that it was hovering just below the surface.

Gaara tried one of Naruto's infamous innocent looks, it apparently failed miserably. He sighed and hung his head.

"Don't think I don't want… it's just that… well…" Gaara stuttered out. Sasuke nodded his head in understanding.

"It's too soon, right?" he asked. Gaara quirked a half smile and nodded. Sasuke smiled gently. "I understand its ok."

Gaara looked relieved. His face soon turned to embarrassed and uncomfortable. Sasuke cocked his head to the side.

"What?" he asked. Gaara fidgeted.

"Um… do need to… go to the bathroom or something?" Gaara managed to stutter out. Sasuke blinked in confusion before he noticed that he was indeed uncomfortable. His pants were definitely a bit tight. Blushing as dark as Gaara's hair he nodded wordlessly. Gaara carefully lifted himself from Sasuke's lap and sat on the ground.

"You remember where it is?" he asked as Sasuke stood gingerly.

"Yeah…" Sasuke said, moving stiffly to the door.

Gaara just looked at the ceiling as the other boy made his way out of the room. Sighing, Gaara decided that maybe he had a bit of a problem as well. Twitching, Gaara made his way over to his closet. He threw open the door, rummaged through a large white box on the floor and finally found what he was looking for.

"There's no way I'm…" Gaara trailed off, embarrassed even though there was no one in the room. He cracked the cold compress he had picked up from a baseball team he had been on once, waited for the pack to become cold before making his way back to where they had been making out. Deciding it probably was a bad idea to sit back down over there, Gaara crawled onto his bed, gingerly placing the compress down his pants and instantly shivering. Hopefully that problem would be solved quickly. Closing his eyes, Gaara waited for Sasuke to return.

* * *

Sasuke cursed in his mind as he made his way back to Gaara's room. How embarrassing was this situation? Seriously, he had decided to take it slow and then he just explodes in a flare of hormones the second the guy he's practically in love with shoves his tongue in his mouth. Granted, any self respecting guy would do the same thing… but Sasuke had always been proud of his control over his emotions, thanks to a lifetime of practicing first with the Uchiha family and then with Orochimaru. But no, the time it really matters it just all flies out the window. Stupid male hormones.

Sasuke opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks. Gaara was laying on the bed, stretched out comfortably, his chest bare for some unknown reason, and his eyes closed. Sasuke could feel himself stop breathing. That red haired boy… there was no way he wasn't an angel. There was just no way. He was too beautiful, to perfect in Sasuke's eyes, and too wonderful to be any sort of monster. Gaara was a fallen, tattered and torn angel sent from the heavens above just for him, Naruto be damned.

Sasuke quietly shut the door and silently moved to Gaara's bed. Crawling onto the mattress next to his red haired angel, Sasuke wrapped an arm around his waist and Gaara's eyes snapped open. The spell was broken.

"So… you're next Gaara," Sasuke said. "Why don't you start with Shukaku and your uncle Yashamaru?"


	21. Bloodlust

**Disclaimer:** Not mine

**If:** Woo... good times my friends. Here's a little more Angst for y'all. Yay angst!

**Warning:** Blood, self-mutilation, violence

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YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Woo! I'm glad you're loving it! I try. :) Good times my friend. Good times. I hope you enjoy this chap!

rawr : He he he... yesh, Fluff! Bwa ha ha ha... fluff.

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I suppose fair is fair… I did say I would explain… that doesn't mean I have to like it. I'm sure Naruto told you that my life sucks and that my uncle Yashamaru tried to kill me when I was six. Temari probably added that she and Kankuro hated me from then until some time ago.

So what could you be missing? Well, there are many factors that I'm sure they missed. Yashamaru was the only person that acted as though they cared. They told you that? Huh, I guess I've told Naruto too much about myself… But yes, Yashamaru was the one person I thought cared. For about six years I thought he cared. But reality came crashing down around me at six. At six my father arranged for Yashamaru to kill me. It was a simple request, I was six. How hard could it be to kill a six year old? And Yashamaru agreed to this deal with the devil since he had never cared.

Father took Temari and Kankuro out for the night, they had actually been happy for me even though we barely knew each other. I was ecstatic. I never got much time alone with the one person who actually seemed to like me and was nice to me. It went sour after dinner.

Yashamaru was in the kitchen and I went to get him so that we could play some board games or something. I entered the kitchen and then he spoke. He called me a demon. That was all he said at first. "Demon." I had caught sight of the knife and had started to back away from him. He followed me right into the living room. I had managed to back myself up against a wall. He raised the knife and it was all I could do to push myself out of the way, but it still grazed my arm.

I got up and ran for the door, desperately trying to open it. The knife was buried into my back. The hateful words started as I managed to open the door and start pulling myself out. He was telling me that no one loved me, that I was a demon, that I killed his most precious sister and that I deserved to die. I was crawling to the street, and I got there trailing blood behind me. I remember that Yashamaru followed me and that a car hit him, but after that I have no idea. When I awoke I was in the hospital.

I wanted to die, I honestly did. The only person I had thought loved me, or at least cared about me, had hated me just as much, if not more than my father. It was a devastating revelation, to find out that no one cared about you. To learn that you weren't important, that no one wanted you, and that no one cared… it was devastating. I was in the hospital, where people are supposed to care about others so that they can make them better. A hospital was depressing, but at the same time uplifting. All I saw was death. People were dying there, and so was I.

My physical body was scared and my mind was shattered. I wanted it all to end, all the pain, all the hurt, all the nothingness. It wasn't as if someone would care if I died. And a voice from deep within my mind agreed with me.

A deep voice that I had never knew existed before told me that the world would be better without me. It said that if everyone wanted me dead, why didn't I just die?

So I opened my eyes to the empty hospital room and I sat up. My back was stitched as well as my arm, but the pain was palpable and if I moved too much the stitches would come undone. I didn't care. If the stitches came undone it was less work for me to do. I pulled and chords attached to my body off and tumbled out of the bed. There was a small table next to the bed and I reached for it, pulling myself to my feet. And there it was. It was beautiful; it was the most perfect razor I had ever seen.

My veins were singing, my blood was boiling, and my heart was hurting. It was perfect. I picked the razor up, I climbed into my bed, and I slit my wrists for the very first time.

It was heaven. The feeling of cold metal crossing my fragile flesh. Poetry in motion, that's what it was. Blood bubbling up from the freshly cut wound. It was mesmerizing. I couldn't take my eyes away. I slit them the wrong way that first time, not knowing the proper way to commit suicide. It was an experience that will forever be fresh in my mind.

That voice was telling me that blood was the source of all life. Blood was beautiful, that it was the sweetest ambrosia of the human body. Nothing but the blood mattered. My wrist was brought to my face without my moving it.

_Drink_, it told me. _Blood is life. Suck your own life away._

And I did. I took my wrist to my mouth and drank the blood. But it wasn't enough. I wanted more, and it needed more. I slit my other wrist. It still wasn't enough so I cut up my arm, slicing it width-wise as many times as I could manage, nearly insane with blood lust.

It was then that the nurses and doctors came rushing in. Once I was attended they tied me to the bed. My personality was unstable and it was in that moment that it split. My once whole mind was divided into two separate identities.

My family never came to get me. They never paid my bills. I was in debt and I was only six.

I wandered the streets of the city after my release. I was nearly murdered, raped and run over countless times, but eventually I found the suburbs. It took me three days of wandering to find my house. The only reason I got inside was because the neighbors were watching.

It was back to the same old same old: beatings, cruel words, and general abuse. My father didn't let me recover; he even made a point of targeting the areas that I hurt the most in. The wound on my back, the cuts on my arms… everything was fair game.

I continued to cut my wrists, taking a masochistic pleasure in the pain that it created. The voice in my head started calling it "art." In the beginning I agreed with it. Designs were drawn into flesh, and every time I went to cut it would start to take over, cutting not only my wrists but anywhere else it felt like cutting.

School started, and it took me a total of three days before I was pulled out for beating up some kid. The first time it was just a simple suspension. I was told I wouldn't be allowed back for a few months, in which I was supposed to "think about what I had done" or some other babble. I came back and did it again, sending the next kid to the hospital. I was sent to juvie, and told to see a psychiatrist.

I almost feel sorry for the guy, now that I think back on it. He was just trying to do his job, and I messed with his mind. I told him things and he would think that he was getting progress. I told him that my home life was wonderful, that I was the happiest kid I knew. When asked why I sent the other child to the hospital I simply replied "Why not?"

Two years later I was back in the public school system. Three days later I was back in juvie. I got the same psychiatrist when I got there. Unfortunately for him, that voice in the back of my head had developed into its own personality, branding himself "Shukaku." Shukaku had taken it upon himself to take over every time I was sent to the psychiatrist. He would talk about the thrill of the kill, the temptation of blood, the art of the kill. It was no surprise that they put me on medication.

Juvie was… hell. Crap food, bad company, and plenty of violent teens to keep not only me, but Shukaku entertained. That's the reason I was in there for so long. I just kept beating up the kids in there. I wasn't let out until you were gone.

I don't think that they ever figured out that Shukaku was a split personality. It would explain why I've never gotten medication, or seen a different psychologist (I've since heard that the one I had in juvie is seeing a specialist himself).

It was then that I met Naruto… sort of. It was my second day back in the public system; I was having a bad day. My father had kept me up half the night beating on me and re-opening the wounds decorating my wrists. I was in no mood to deal with people, especially happy people that can't mind their own business. So fate decided to play a practical joke on me, and shoved Naruto in my face.

First period: no problem. Second period: just fine. Third period: boring as hell. Fourth period: nothing. Lunch: one annoying blonde that won't leave me alone.

You've got to understand, I was as far from stable as a person could be. I had a split personality that could take over at any point, I had a short fuse, and I had spent way too much time with those delinquents in juvie. So when a blonde attached himself to my arm and started interrogating me, I just couldn't take it.

I threw the first punch, knocking him to the ground with enough force that any normal person wouldn't be able to get up for a while. He shook his head and stood up. My mouth hung open for a moment and I started to feel the familiar bloodlust rise.

"The fuck was that for?" Naruto shouted at me.

"That was for fucking annoying me!" I shouted back. Naruto's hands balled into fists.

"Well sorry for trying to be friendly!" he yelled.

"You god damn better be you fucker!" I screamed. Naruto twitched.

"Fuck you!"

"I'd rather not you pussy!"

And he threw a punch. Landed square on my jaw, knocked me to the ground. I stood up, wiping the blood from my chin and reveling in the pain. A sadistic smile crawled on my face and I started to laugh hysterically. Everyone was staring at me, wondering if I had lost a screw or three. I stopped as suddenly as I started and rushed at the annoying blonde. Punches, kicks… I tore at his hair, I ripped his clothes, and he returned the favor in full.

It was ten minutes into the fight that my somewhat control over Shukaku snapped. He took over and as soon as he did blood splashed before my eyes. He had grabbed a pencil from somewhere and had buried it in Naruto's left shoulder. It had been a while since last we had seen blood that wasn't ours. Shukaku started to cackle and tried to force more of the blonde's blood out of his veins. It seemed that Naruto also snapped shortly after, and in a drastic change he had pinned us to the ground. Before either knew what was going on he had head butted us. Us turned into I as Shukaku's personality was knocked out.

Bucking out from underneath Naruto, I rolled away and managed to get onto my feet. He looked horrible, and I knew that I looked about the same. The pencil was still sticking out of his now useless left arm; blood covered his face and shirt. He looked like he wasn't going to be standing for much longer. At the same instant we ran forward and punched. He knocked me out.

Strangely enough, it was that horrific fight, and the impending community service time, that made us friends. We realized how similar we were. We knew each other's pain.

Over the three years that I've been friends with him I've been able to become human, and I can now suppress Shukaku. Its freed my mind, and I know that I'm better because of it.

* * *

Sasuke blinked tiredly at Gaara after he finished his narration. 

"Seems as if we've both had a hard time in life," he said quietly.

"Yeah…" Gaara murmured his voice hoarse and sore after that long narration.

"Sleep?" Sasuke asked. Gaara nodded.

"'s prolly a good idea considering we have school tomorrow…" he muttered in return, but Sasuke had already fallen asleep, Gaara following soon after.

Neither boy noticed the hateful eyes glaring at them from Gaara's now open doorway.


	22. Why? Tradgedy Strikes

**Disclaimer:** Sigh, not mine

**If:** Woo, another chapter done. Have any of you seen a "The Omen" tailer? I just noticed something. The mark of the devil on Damien, looks suspiciously just like Sasuke's curse seal... coincidence? ... maybe. But seriously, why are they remaking that movie? You can't beat the original! It had Gregory Peck! Gregory Peck! ... oh well. But anyway... here's yet another Angst ridden chapter for you.

**Warning:** VIOLENCE! ANGST! Hateful words!

* * *

Jenna : Wow! I feel uber special now! Wow! Thanks ever so much for the incredibly nice review!

puptastic25 : Thank you. And yes, psychiatrists are stupid. :)

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS: thanks man! We'll have to see what all is going to happen, eh:) It might surprise you... maybe.

* * *

Gaara was asleep without incident (aka: Shukaku coming out and torturing/molesting Sasuke) for a total of ten minutes before he woke up. Sighing, the red haired boy just stared at the ceiling for a moment. Coming to a conclusion, he untangled himself from the boy sleeping beside him and began to stand up. Wincing a little, not only were his new wounds aching, but the wounds he had gotten from his near-death experience not that long ago was throbbing as well. Gaara knew that the best thing he could do would be to lie down and go to sleep. Gaara knew however, that if he went to sleep his half of the mind may rest but the other half would take over and no good things would happen. So Gaara needed to keep himself awake. 

As he stood, Gaara felt the warm, formally cold compress, slide down his leg. Gaara twitched. Look what he had become… sighing, he felt his way around the room until he found his dresser. Kneeling down, he opened the bottom drawer. Digging around, he finally found his small flashlight. Gaara flicked it on. Surveying the room, Gaara went to the door and snuck out.

Making his way down the hallway as quietly as he could, Gaara made his way to the stairs. He tip-toed his way down the stairs and opened the door. He froze. The lights were on.

"Come on in… _son_," came the sickeningly cruel voice of his father. Gaara found his feet moving on their own. He wanted to turn and run back up the stairs, to find some sort of shelter in his room, to be anywhere but where he was going. Maniacal laughter filled his head.

Gaara walked into the living room. His father was sitting in the lazy boy in front of him; he could see the back of his fathers head.

"Come stand before me," his father ordered. Gaara shuddered, took a deep breath and moved to stand in front of the man known as his father.

"Good boy… now sit down," his father said. Gaara's body automatically obeyed. His father smirked at him.

"I couldn't help but notice that you have some… _company_… over tonight," his father spoke. Gaara's heart froze and he stopped breathing. "I've never seen any of your…_friends_ before so I was taken by surprise."

Gaara couldn't help but notice that his father was putting a stress on certain words. It could only mean one thing: he had heard them talking and had looked in his room. No matter when he looked in it would be bad. His father wouldn't hesitate to lash out at him.

"How long have you two been _friends_ Gaara?" he asked, his tone sliding into a repressed anger form. Gaara gulped. "How long!"

Gaara opened his mouth but no sound came out. His father bent over and backhanded him. Gaara's head snapped to the side. He could only stare at the wall for a while before he turned to face his father, mouth firmly set.

"How long have you been **fucking** some _man!_ I won't have some **fag** living in my house!" his father exclaimed, standing up. Gaara's eyes widened and his heart started pounding as he caught sight of the butcher's knife held in his father's hand.

"It wasn't enough for you to kill the only woman I ever loved! It wasn't enough for you to live while she died! It wasn't enough for you to **murder** your own _uncle_! It wasn't enough for you to just be the spawn of the devil! No! You had to be some man fucking **fag!** What more will you do? How much is enough! Haven't you done enough you fucking demon from the deepest pit of hell!" his father started to scream, getting upset to the point of madness. Gaara was backing up, trying to get away from this man who would surely kill him, but his father followed him as he backed up. Gaara bumped into a wall, belatedly noting that it was the same as back then… it was the same…

"I'm sending you back to where you came from! I've dealt with you for too long as it is! You've started corrupting my precious children with your _taint_! I will not have you bringing them down to your level!" and with that said Gaara's father brought the knife down. Gaara barely had time to dodge out of the way, the knife grazing his left arm, just like it had in the past.

Gaara screamed.

* * *

Sasuke shot straight up in Gaara's bed after hearing that tortured, pain filled scream. His eyes instantly darting to where Gaara was supposed to be: Gaara wasn't there. Sasuke's eyes widened and he looked to the door, finding it open. Sasuke stumbled out of the bed in his haste and dashed out the door, nearly running into Temari and Kankuro on the way. 

"Where's Gaara?" Temari asked anxiously. Sasuke shook his head, rushing with the two siblings down the hallway.

"He's not in his room," he replied. Kankuro cursed colorfully and Temari panicked. She nearly fell down the stairs in her haste and threw open the door, Sasuke and Kankuro close behind her. The second the got out of the stairwell they stopped in their tracks at the sight that was before their eyes.

Gaara was pulling desperately at the front door, not noticing in his panic that it was locked. The Sabaku's father was laughing maniacally and slowly advancing towards his helpless son. Sasuke was the first to act.

"Gaara!" he shouted, rushing forward and instantly feeling as though he were moving in slow motion. He tried his hardest to run as fast as he could, get there quicker, to stop what he knew was coming, but his feet just couldn't move, his body was going too slow.

The knife was raised, and Gaara looked over his shoulder. His eyes grew impossibly large and he tried desperately to get away, but the knife was already lowering, moving far quicker than everything else, which seemed to be in permanent slow-mo. Sasuke cried out Gaara's name again, and the knife hit flesh.

* * *

Temari was pacing the floor outside of the operating room. Kankuro was tearing apart magazine after magazine. Neither of them was speaking. The shock was too great, the pain too near. They just couldn't comprehend it. After _that_… 

_Temari had screamed she couldn't stop. The blood had been everywhere. Her father was laughing and trying to dislodge the knife from the flesh it was buried in and the bone that was holding it captive. Kankuro had run into the kitchen and had thrown up. He had grabbed the phone and called the police._

_Kankuro had shook Temari, trying to get her to snap out of it. She was still screaming. _

"_We have to get him away!" Kankuro had shouted. "Or else…!"_

_Temari had snapped out of it and nodded solemnly. _

"_On the count of three," Kankuro said. "One… two… three!"_

_The two of them had rushed forward and pulled their father away. He struggled, trying to break free. He cursed his children, he cussed. He kicked and bit and squirmed, but it was all to no avail. Temari and Kankuro were pulling him into the living room._

"_Let! Me! Go!" he screamed. "I have to kill him! He has to die!"_

_Temari and Kankuro exchanged a look. They continued to pull their father into the living room. _

_Sirens were approaching. Temari could see the flashing lights, and in a moment of distraction, he father broke loose. He tore his arm from her slightly loose grip and decked Kankuro. Kankuro went crashing to the floor. He father turned to her and slapped her so hard the world began to spin and she fell to the floor._

"_I'm finally going to finish you, you demon!" Temari had heard her father cry out._

"_Stay away!" she heard Gaara shout in return. _

_The police crashed through the living room window, scaring Temari and she screamed again. _

"_Where is he?" one of the swat team asked her. Temari could only point towards the front door. The swat team rushed to the door._

"_Put down the knife!" she heard them yell at her father._

"_He has to die!" came the screech from her father._

"_Sir, put down the knife!" came the order once again._

"_I'm going to kill him once and for all! There's nothing you can do to stop me!" came the reply and her father started to laugh again. Any sanity he had had was now gone._

_A shot rang in the house. Temari started crying hysterically._

"_Get the paramedics in here quick!" the swat leader shouted and one of his subordinates rushed back outside._

Temari felt a fresh cascade of tears run down her face. They had killed her father. He was dead, but that wasn't what was making her cry. That wasn't what made her heart ache as though someone had put it in a vice. No… the reason she couldn't stop the tears was Gaara.

"Kankuro…" she said hesitantly. Her brother looked up at her, his face blank.

"What…" he said dully.

"How do you think…" she started.

"He'll be fine… but…" he said and looked up and the operating room.

Temari faced the room herself, worried to death about her youngest brother.

* * *

Gaara was having a hard time understanding anything. All he could see, all he could think about… 

_Gaara turned to see the knife rushing towards him in the exact way it had done that time as well. Gaara's eyes grew impossibly large before he shut them tightly, embracing his fate. It was his punishment after all, his punishment for being born and killing the woman that had borne him. _

_**The impact never came**._

Gaara was restrained in a bed at the hospital and drugged to keep him from rushing off. The doctors had labeled him insecure, and with good reason too.

_Gaara could only stare at the limp and bleeding body now lying in his lap. What had happened? What was going on?_

"_Sasuke?" he had asked hesitantly. The boy in his arms wasn't moving, he wasn't replying and his breathing was shallow, the knife buried into right shoulder. Gaara's hands shook. He barely registered that his siblings were pulling his father away._

"_Wha…? Why?" he had asked. Dull black eyes had looked up at him, and the tiniest of smiles graced perfect pink lips. Sasuke was unconscious seconds later. _

_Gaara had tugged the body to his chest, holding on to his savior tightly._

"_Why? I don't understand… why would you give up yourself for someone such as me? What are you doing to me? I don't understand! Tell me why!" Gaara had whispered to the unconscious man in his arms. Tears were running down his face, but Gaara didn't notice._

Gaara stared at the hospital ceiling.

"Why Sasuke?"


	23. Why? Just Give Me a Reason

**Discalimer:** Not mine

**If: **This chapter is dedicated to my dearly departed Angel. Love ya hun...

* * *

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Heh, thanks for the review. 's ok about the reviews, I don't mind, I'm just happy I get them. :)

* * *

Gaara didn't quite know what he was feeling, or what he should be feeling. He didn't understand what had happened, he didn't know why. Why would Sasuke do that? And then he had smiled, bleeding and practically dying in Gaara's arms, and he had only smiled as if to comfort _him_. What would Gaara need comfort for? Why did he need comforting? Why did Sasuke protect him? It just didn't make any sense! 

Gaara's felt as though he was going to throw up, his stomach was rolling and he didn't know why. His heart was clenching, and his chest felt tight. What could be causing these sensations? He had felt fine earlier. There was nothing wrong with him; the doctors had said so, though they had said he was unstable, but fine. But these feelings… what caused them? The nauseous feeling, the tight pain in his chest, the nagging guilt, and all those other feelings he couldn't comprehend, why was he feeling like this? He was crying and he didn't even know why.

Gaara's world was turned on its ear and he was reeling, thrown off balance in this world where black was white and up was down. This world, where people sacrificed themselves for others and cared about monsters, what sort of world was this? Why would someone sacrifice themselves for someone else? What was the purpose? Humans valued themselves over others, so why would one forget that and try to save someone else? Who could possibly care for a demon? Who could care enough about a demon to sacrifice themselves for it? What kind of person would that be? What sort of person would do that?

There were too many questions without answers, too many feelings unlabeled, and there was still that nagging feeling of _needing_ Sasuke to be alright. Gaara just couldn't comprehend any of it, least of all _needing_ Sasuke of all people to be alright.

"Why?" he asked the empty room again, as though it would give him some insightful answers into the problems of his heart. Did he even have a heart? If he did, it would certainly explain all those feelings. But weren't demons and monsters heartless? **Did that mean he wasn't a demon?**

And with that single thought, Gaara's world crashed down around his ears.

He had always been told he was a demon. He had been told by parents (of other children along with his own father), children, Yashamaru, all those delinquents in juvie, any adult he had come in contact with practically, and his own peers. "How could the whole world be wrong?" Had been what he always thought. Truly so many people wouldn't lie or be wrong. But… there had always been that nagging seed of doubt buried in the back of his mind. There was also the fact that Naruto, Naruto's friends, and Sasuke had never, not even once, called him a monster or a demon. But even though the people closest and dearest to him hadn't called him those names, he had never believed them. It hurt Gaara to know that it only became apparent that they were right when one of them gave up their life (maybe) for him. _Him_. **Him** of all people!

There were better people in the world, there were more needy people in the world, anyone was better than him. For even though Gaara knew he wasn't a demon or a monster, he would never have self-confidence. It was impossible to gain that which you never had to begin with, and believed was wrong. Gaara would never think of himself as worthy.

"_I can't describe you, that's how wonderful you seem to me._"

Sasuke's words from a few hours ago came ringing into his mind. Gaara's brow furrowed. What did that mean? Did that mean that Sasuke wanted to… Gaara blushed. Or was there something more, something Gaara just couldn't understand right now, to it.

How could those words be confusing? If he can't be described, how could he be wonderful? Gaara wasn't exactly a good person. Was he just an incredibly good looking face with a dark and tattered soul attached? How could Gaara be "wonderful?" It just wasn't possible, was it?

Or was it that Gaara wasn't looking at it from Sasuke's angle. Gaara was warped and unwanted in his own mind. Maybe in Sasuke's he was something better. But Gaara had never given Sasuke any reason to think any better of him. Gaara tried to think like other, less pessimistic, people. Maybe, to Sasuke, Gaara was a good person who was warped through a bad family life and his experiences in juvie. Maybe Sasuke saw some sort of… "Good person" underneath all the filth this world had placed on him. Gaara just scoffed at his reasoning. That sounded like a bunch of psychic mumbo jumbo to him. Gaara didn't believe in people examining the mind, they weren't as smart as they were cracked up to be.

Pish… looking beneath the beneath… how stupid was that?

Stupid though it may be in Gaara's mind, but it was the only way he could think of that would explain why Sasuke would say that. But then Gaara realized that there was more to it than just seeing what Gaara "could have been" or "was underneath all the gloom and doom" or something. There would have to be feelings attached to the statement. So Gaara took a close look at how Sasuke acted around him.

Sasuke was always either hanging on him, teasing him, flirting with him, molesting him, talking to him, listening to him, being generally nice to him (in the hospital at least), and other such things. All of these sorts of things pointed to Sasuke liking him, and not just in the friendly way. Gaara just let that sink in, but that wasn't too hard to absorb, especially after they almost…… Gaara turned bright red.

So Sasuke had… feelings for him, in an "I wanna be your boyfriend" kind of way. It would explain his behavior and his words, and now that Gaara thought about it, it could almost fit why he did what he did. But there was something missing. Sasuke wouldn't just sacrifice himself for someone he wanted to have a fling with. With Sasuke's past, and just knowing his general personality, Sasuke would have to feel more. Sasuke's feelings, in order to put himself in the way of danger to save someone else, would have to be as deep and true as the ocean.

**_Love_**.

Gaara stopped thinking. He nearly stopped breathing, and his body went numb.

It was the only logical conclusion. It was the only way that Sasuke would do something like that. There was no other explanation. It had to be… love…

Gaara's hand came up to his forehead without him thinking, and he caressed the tattoo there. He had gotten the damn thing at some point during his long stay in juvie. Love was on his forehead, and at the time Gaara had thought that it was the only time he would receive love. How ironic that it would be on his mind now. The answer was on his forehead the whole time.

But for all of Gaara's thinking, he hadn't found out why he was the way he was. He had only answered the question "why?" So what was he feeling?

The queasy-ness, the constricting of his chest, the confusion racing through his emotions… what did that mean? And then it hit Gaara like a stone. His heart had… _fluttered_ when he had figured out that Sasuke loved him. That queasy feeling was a good sort of queasy, and Gaara just wanted Sasuke fine and by his side again.

Gaara twitched.

Great… now he was in… _love_ with that dimwit who threw himself in front of his father's murderous rage. He would certainly die if Sasuke did. Gaara clenched a hand over his heart at that thought. Alright… Sasuke wasn't going to die. He was going to be fine. And then he and Gaara would run off and buy an apartment, get a dog and have 2.5 kids… Alright, sarcasm doesn't work on emotions. The more Gaara thought about it, the more he realized he actually wanted that.

"Great… just great…" Gaara muttered, hanging his head in shame.

"What was that little bro?" Kankuro said from his seat next to Gaara. Gaara just looked at his brother from the corners of his wide eyes, clearly not knowing that his brother was there.

"I just came in a couple of minutes ago, but you were staring into space. Looked like you were pondering the meaning of the universe or something," Kankuro said. Gaara just narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"But anyway… I came here to see how you're doing," Kankuro said. Gaara tried to shrug, but couldn't really move, still tied down. Kankuro smirked at him.

"Oh… I could so torture you right now and get away with it," he said. Gaara started to twitched. Kankuro just laughed.

"Go away if you're going to be a prick," Gaara said once Kankuro calmed down. Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"And here I had thought that you would like to know how Sasuke is," he said non-chalantly and stood up, turning his back to his little brother.

"No! Wait!" Gaara shouted a bit too desperately. Kankuro turned around, grinning like a lunatic.

"Yes little brother?" he asked sweetly, causing Gaara to shudder.

"Please… tell me how he is," Gaara said quietly. Kankuro smiled and walked over to his brother's bed.

"Why don't you go see for yourself?" he said. Gaara scowled at him.

"You know I can't get out of this stupid bed! They've tied me down!" Gaara shouted, vainly struggling against his bonds.

"Ah well… I guess you can't know then," his brother said and turned to leave again. Gaara cursed under his breath.

"Wait!" he shouted again. Kankuro turned and batted his eyes.

"Yeeeeess?" he said. Gaara muttered something. "What was that?"

"… Could you untie me?" Gaara asked. Kankuro smirked again.

"I don't know Gaara…" he trailed off. Gaara shot his brother a glare.

"I'll pay you later," he stated simply. Kankuro smiled brightly and began to untie his brother's bonds. As soon as Gaara was free, he jumped from the bed. He felt a suspicious breeze on his back and turned to find that they had stuck him in one of those evil hospital gowns. Gaara scowled.

"Let me borrow some clothes," he said. Kankuro shook his head vehemently, holding his hands in front of himself.

"No way man," he said. Gaara gave his brother his most evil glare. Kankuro shivered in his boots, but didn't cave in. "I brought you clothes."

Gaara stopped glaring.

"Oh," he said. Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"Hurry up and I'll take you to him," he said. Gaara grabbed the proffered clothes and quickly pulled the black t and pants on.

Following Kankuro, Gaara started to get increasingly more nervous. He was fidgeting and twisting the end of his t-shirt. And suddenly Kankuro stopped in front of a doorway.

"He's in there," he said. Gaara nodded. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door.

Sasuke looked so pale, so deathly pale. But Gaara expected that, he had lost a lot of blood. Stepping up to the bed, Gaara grabbed a chair and pulled it next to Sasuke's bed and sat in it. Gently, he took Sasuke's hand in his own, unknowingly doing what Sasuke did for him over a week prior.

"Come back to me," Gaara whispered.


	24. Visits Gone Wrong

**Disclaimer:** Not mine

**If:** Welcome one and all to the 24th chapter! Oh yeah! Hope y'all enjoy it!

Oh! And I've randomly decided that I'm going to do what I did last time (sort of) Lucky reviewer number 202 will be able to get a fic done by yours truly (oooo...). The last winning story will be up... as soon as I write it... yeah. So good luck!

Behold the triumphant return of Naruto!

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YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Totally, Gaara's sooo in love. He he he... oh yeah. But yesh, we'll have to see how this all goes eh? 

puptastic25: Waah! A threat to my very life! But if you killed me, how would I update? Ooo... and me? kill Sasu?

* * *

Naruto had known there was something wrong when he had walked to school. There was caution tape all around Gaara's house, and the front window was broken. The blonde had been instantly worried about Gaara. He had tried to ask the police officers around the house what had happened, but none of them would tell him anything, which only served to worry the blonde more. He didn't know what he would do if Gaara was hurt or… 

So it was with a heavily heart and worried mind that Naruto went to school. His friends knew something was wrong, simply from his behavior. Naruto wasn't smiling, he wasn't happy, and he was constantly chewing on his fingernails, something he had never done. It was worrying his friends to see him like this.

"Naruto," a concerned Sakura had addressed the blonde during lunch. Naruto turned to look at the pink haired girl, who had started to sit at his table after Gaara's first trip to the hospital. Naruto just blinked at her.

"What happened Naruto?" she asked, scooting her chair closer to her friend, who she had taken for granted over the past three years but was determined to show him that she really cared even if she had forgotten for a while. The blonde looked extremely sad for a moment then suddenly embraced the pink haired girl. Sakura was stunned and could only embrace her friend back as sobs wracked his body. Looking up, she gave a questioning look to the other occupants of the table. Everyone shook their head, and Sakura furrowed her brow, looking back down at her friend.

"Was it… Gaara?" she managed to ask. She knew that the red head had been in the hospital, but the last time she had asked the blonde about him he had smiled like a lunatic and said that he was fine now and getting out of the hospital. Sakura didn't know why, but it hurt her to ask about her friend's best friend.

Naruto could only nod in reply. His throat was constricted and his eyes wouldn't stop crying, the tears coming forth like the running of a river. Shaking like a leaf, Naruto managed to sit up after a few minutes.

"I… w-went t-t-to p-pick him up l-like I …I n-n-norm-mally d-do b-b-b-b-but his h-house w-w-was cov-vered i-in c-caution t-t-t-t-tape…" the blonde managed to choke out. Everyone at the table just froze. Looking at one another, they then turned to the sobbing blonde.

"Oh Naruto…" Sakura cried and pulled the blonde into another embrace. Naruto held her back and continued to sob.

"This is something I never expected," Tenten said to Lee, who nodded in response, hair bobbing and seemingly shining.

"It truly is a tragic event, and it has torn poor Naruto-kun asunder," Lee replied. Tenten nodded.

"I hope Gaara's alright," she said.

"Gaara isn't easy to hurt, let alone kill," Neji said, adding his own perspective to the conversation. Tenten and Lee just deadpanned at him.

"You could be a bit more sensitive Neji," Tenten said, nearly glaring at the white eyed boy. Neji just scoffed, but was kicked by the person on his right. Neji glared at a seemingly asleep Shikamaru. Shika just glared with one eye from his position with his head resting on his arms. Neji muttered to himself and glared at the ceiling.

"You know Naruto, if it will make you feel better, I can take you to the hospital after school and you can see if Gaara's there," Sakura suggested. Naruto looked up at her with his puffy blue eyes.

"Really?" he asked. Sakura smiled down at him.

"Of course."

* * *

Sakura and Naruto arrived at the hospital scant minutes after school got out that afternoon. They asked the nurse at the front desk if there was a Sabaku Gaara there, and she said that yes there was, but he was in a friend's room at the moment. He could be found on the third floor, room 314. Naruto thanked the nurse and rushed off to find the elevators. Sakura staid behind for a moment. 

"Who is he visiting?" Sakura asked, feeling a sudden feeling of dread.

"Uchiha Sasuke," the nurse said. Sakura froze.

"Sakura!" she heard Naruto shout. "The elevator's here!"

"Thanks," Sakura said before rushing off to find Naruto. Together they got into the elevator.

"Naruto…" Sakura said. Naruto looked at her.

"Yes Sakura?" he asked. Sakura found herself unable to speak. Naruto had told her that he was interested in Gaara and that Sasuke was too. Sakura couldn't help but feel left out and slightly hurt, and it wasn't because Sasuke wasn't interested in her. She knew that Naruto would be crushed if Gaara chose Sasuke over him, and she wasn't sure if there was anything she would be able to do to cheer him up if he did get crushed. Sakura was worried that since Sasuke was hurt and Gaara was visiting him, that the red head would think that whatever he was feeling for Sasuke at that moment would just be a false feeling, but that he would believe it and so would Naruto.

"Naruto I don't…" Sakura tried to say, but the doors opened.

"Come on Sakura!" Naruto practically shouted, tugging the pink haired girl down the hallway.

"Naruto hang on a minute," Sakura tried once again, but Naruto had already found the room he was looking for and had started to open the door. Sakura suddenly felt cold.

* * *

Sasuke had woken up ten minutes earlier and had found Gaara asleep in the chair next to his bed, tightly clinging to his hand. Sasuke cracked a tiny smile as he gazed down at the red head. Sasuke tried to lift his other hand to stroke Gaara's hair, but found that he couldn't even lift his arm without a shock of white hot pain. Sasuke grit his teeth and hissed. 

_Oh yeah… I somehow managed to take that blow from Gaara's father_, Sasuke thought, wincing at the memory. Years of pain and torture simply didn't prepare him with the pain of almost getting killed by a butcher's knife. Sasuke cringed. How did Gaara survive it for seventeen years?

"Gaara…" he whispered, turning to look at the red head once again. Sasuke smiled as Gaara murmured something in his sleep and nuzzled the sheets on Sasuke's hospital bed. Sasuke chuckled lightly at the sight.

"Gaara," Sasuke said again, squeezing the hand that held his. "Gaara, wake up."

Gaara stirred, but didn't wake. Sasuke smiled and pulled his hand, trying to get it free. Gaara only clutched tighter.

"…Don't leave me…"

Sasuke blinked rapidly, he almost didn't hear Gaara say it, so soft was it said. Sasuke looked at the red head in a new light. A gentle smile crossed his face.

"I won't leave you, not if I can help it," Sasuke replied, squeezing Gaara's hand tightly. Gaara stirred in his sleep and his eyes cracked open. Yawning and blinking himself into a better state of awareness. He felt eyes watching him and blearily looked up. Green eyes met black.

"Sasuke!" Gaara cried out, startling the raven haired boy before he was pulled into a hug. Sasuke grit his teeth at the pain racing from his shoulder.

"Gaara… my shoulder…" he managed to say, he was finding it hard to breathe since the red head was apparently trying to squeeze the life out of him. Gaara instantly let go. Sasuke collapsed back onto the bed and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Sorry…" Gaara murmured, looking at the floor and twiddling his thumbs. Sasuke smiled at him.

"Its alright, I wouldn't have minded if my shoulder didn't hurt so much…" Sasuke said. Gaara looked up at him and cracked a crooked smile. Sasuke couldn't help but grin.

"…How do you feel?" Gaara asked. Sasuke shrugged with his good shoulder.

"Can't say I feel great, but I don't feel horrible," he said. Gaara just looked at him.

"Wow… that was incredibly vague," Gaara said. Sasuke laughed. Gaara smiled, closing his eyes for a moment. After a moment Sasuke calmed down and smiled brightly at Gaara.

"Sasuke…" Gaara said.

"Yeah?" Sasuke replied.

"Why did you do it?" Gaara asked.

"Do what?" Sasuke said, confused by Gaara's vague question.

"Why did you get in the way?" Gaara asked his brow was furrowed. "I mean… I think I know, but I need to hear it from you."

Sasuke nodded in understanding.

"I did it because I just didn't want to see you hurt," Sasuke said. "You've been hurt by him so much and you didn't need to be hurt by him again. And the look on your face… I couldn't bear to see that look on your face. I just wanted to protect you."

Gaara nodded. "Why did you want to protect me?"

Sasuke paused. "Because…"

"Because?" Gaara prompted. Neither boy noticed that the door opened.

"Because… because I think I love you…" Sasuke admitted, looking away from Gaara and blushing brightly. Gaara smiled at the Uchiha.

"I think I might feel the same way," Gaara said. Sasuke's head whipped around and he stared at the red head with wide eyes. No one heard the gasp that came from the doorway.

"W-what?" Sasuke asked.

"I think I love you," Gaara said and with that he crawled his way into Sasuke's bed. Wrapping his arms gently around Sasuke's waist, Gaara captured Sasuke's lips with his own. Sasuke was too floored to return the kiss at first, but soon he was participating and moaning at the feeling of Gaara's tongue in his mouth.

* * *

Sakura was trying her best to keep up with Naruto, but the blonde was running so fast. Sakura knew she couldn't leave him alone. 

"Naruto!" she yelled, trying to get the blonde to stop, following him as he made another turn. She paused as he had turned into a dead end. Sakura could only watch in horror as her friend started to hit the brick wall with his fists, as he kicked it and as he mercilessly bashed his head into it.

"Naruto!" she cried again and rushed over to him.

Sakura grabbed the blonde's arms and tried to pull him away, tried to wrestle him to the ground. Eventually she succeeded, but not before Naruto's fists and forehead were bleeding fiercely. Sakura hugged him close to her, tears running down her face at seeing her friend so torn. She had known this would happen should Gaara choose Sasuke.

"Why does he always do what he wants! Why does he always get everything! Why can't I be the one who gets what he wants for once!" Naruto shouted, and the rain began to pour down on them.


	25. Falling Through

**Disclaimer:** Not mine

**If:** Wow...yesh, the poor Naru-chan... feel the empathy rolling off me! ...But anyway, I would like to hope that I've surprised y'all with this chapter. He he he...

* * *

Anon: Heh, yesh Poor Naru-chan... I'm pretty sure it was a predictable thing to do, but its necessary for the story! he he he... but anyway, thanks for the nice words, and yesh I am the Updater!

puptastic25 : Yesh, jealousy. What sort of twisted love triangle would I be writing if there was no jealousy:) But yesh, Sasuke is alive. And yesh, Poor Naru-chan... he's just so unloved.

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : he he he... Yesh, Naru-chan needs someone to love. Poor guy. We'll have to see who gets together with him. And cheer him up? I don't know... the angst is prevalent in this fic. It just won't leave the characters alone... of course that has nothing to do with me... not at all. But anyway, we'll have to see what happens, ne?

Aokichu : Thanks for the nice review. We'll have to see what happens betwixt Sasu and Gaa and what will become of Naruto? ... I feel like one of those annoucer people for a Soap opera or something...

Jenna : Wow, now that's a strong reaction to my story. I'm glad you're so receptive to it. Its awesome to hear that you're into it so much!

* * *

It took nearly a week for Sasuke to be healed enough to be fit to leave the hospital. Gaara would come and visit after every day of school, and the two would just sit and enjoy each other's company. They would talk about the goings on at school, the over protectiveness of siblings (Itachi had shown up an hour after their confessions and had proceeded to go insane), and just the world in general. But Sasuke could tell that Gaara was distracted, that there was something his… boyfriend was worried over but wouldn't talk to him about. But other than the nagging feeling that Gaara was keeping something from him, Sasuke was as happy as he could ever be. 

Gaara's siblings called him in sick the day Sasuke got out of the hospital so that he could spend the whole day together. Which was exactly what they were doing: spending the whole day together.

Gaara was there when Sasuke awoke, gently kissing his forehead as Sasuke greeted him. The doctor's let him out at noon, telling him that he had to take his medication on time, and that he had to take care of himself. Some of the nurses that knew Sasuke and Gaara were together now pulled the raven haired boy off to the side and told him bluntly to not have any sex for at least five days. Sasuke came back from being dragged away blushing as dark as Gaara's hair. Gaara gave him a questioning look, but Sasuke didn't tell him a single word of what they had said, or what they had slipped to him for "later."

They decided to walk around the park that was nearby for a while, and stopped at a nearby sandwich place for lunch. Together they enjoyed a picnic in the park. Sasuke decided that now was the time to ask Gaara what was bothering him.

"Gaara…" Sasuke started after the red head had finished his sandwich and had lain down on the grass.

"Hmmm?" Gaara had answered, gazing up at the clouds and almost realizing why Shikamaru did this all the time.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked, laying his head on Gaara's chest and wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Nothing's wrong," Gaara said putting an arm around Sasuke's shoulders.

"Then what's been bothering you?" Sasuke asked, poking Gaara's side. Gaara didn't reply. "You're not telling me something."

Gaara sighed. "It's Naruto."

Sasuke frowned. Naruto? Come to think of it, he hadn't seen the blonde since Gaara had gotten out of the hospital nearly a week ago. He wondered what had happened to the blonde dobe.

"Naruto?" Sasuke asked, feeling Gaara nod.

"Yeah… apparently he disappeared after the… incident," Gaara said. Sasuke frowned.

"Disappeared?" Sasuke asked. He felt Gaara nod again.

"Yeah… I heard from Neji that he and Sakura had gone to visit us in the hospital, but that only Sakura had come back, and she hadn't come back till the next day," Gaara said. Sasuke was confused.

"Where the hell could that dobe have gone?" he asked.

"I don't know… I talked to Jiraiya, Naruto's pervert guardian, but he had no idea where he had gone. He wasn't too friendly about it either… which is weird because he's never not been nice to me," Gaara said.

"That's strange," Sasuke said, deep in thought. Suddenly something came back to him from the day Gaara had gotten out of the hospital. Naruto had kissed Gaara. Sasuke's brow furrowed, what did that have to do with… suddenly it clicked.

"Gaara…" Sasuke started, suddenly unsure if he should tell this to the red head.

"Yeah?" Gaara replied.

"Um… Naruto… liked you, right?" Sasuke asked tentatively.

"Yeah… we were best friends," Gaara instantly replied, flicking Sasuke's forehead. "You know that."

"No… I meant as more than friends," Sasuke clarified, rubbing the spot on his forehead that Gaara had flicked.

"Oh…" Gaara said. "…I think he did… no, I know he did."

"What if… he and Sakura visited at the exact moment we… confessed?" Sasuke asked he felt Gaara stiffen under him.

"…Shit…" Gaara said, feeling suddenly very cold.

"Yeah…" Sasuke agreed.

"It would certainly explain why Sakura's been avoiding me like the plague," Gaara said. Guilt was washing over him. It hurt to know that he had caused his first, and most important friend so much pain that he had run away. Or maybe Naruto hadn't run away. Maybe his friend hadn't been able to take the pain and had tried to take the easy way out. What if Naruto had killed himself? What if he had jumped off a bridge, or slit his wrists or laid down on the train tracks? Would Naruto do something so rash? Would this totally and utterly destroy one of the most important people in his life?

Sasuke knew something was wrong. He had sat up and he didn't like the look on Gaara's face. Gaara looked as if his life was coming crashing down around him. Sasuke reached out to brush a hand across his cheek, but Gaara flinched away from him. Sasuke felt shunned.

"Gaara?" he asked tentatively, almost afraid of what the red head would do.

Gaara sat up, and then stood; totally ignoring the way Sasuke was looking at him with hurt and tear filled eyes. Gaara was in his own world, his world that had gone from bright and sunny to black and dangerous. He needed his sun back.

"I'm sorry…" was all the red head said before he walked away, leaving a stunned and almost confused Sasuke behind.

Sasuke felt the tears welling up in his eyes. He wouldn't be able to hold them back for long. It hurt too much. He had thought that Gaara had loved him; he had said he did, didn't he? Why would the person who said they loved him walk away from him for someone else? Why would Gaara do that to him? Was he that easy to throw away? Was he that worthless?

Sasuke broke down, sobbing and clutching his knees to his chest, curling in on himself. Sasuke let it all come out. He was hurt and breaking and the one person who would piece him together had just walked away.

"Poor little Sasuke… I guess that he didn't care for one such as you," a sickeningly familiar, slimy and hated voice spoke up from behind the breaking Uchiha. Sasuke whirled around and his eyes got wide.

* * *

Gaara couldn't even think of where to start looking for Naruto. The blonde had never just up and disappeared. Naruto was more level headed than he let on. So Gaara didn't know how to look for him. 

Gaara scanned the streets for any sign of the blonde, but instead saw a head of familiar pink hair.

_Sakura_? Gaara thought, his brow furrowing. He was about to call out to her, but then he remembered how cold she had been to him all week. So instead, Gaara decided to follow her.

Sakura was going towards the worse part of town. Gaara watched as the buildings around him went from nice corporate buildings with an antiseptic feeling to the rundown slums that occupied the lower income class. People were looking at him with ferocious eyes. Some wanted him dead and some of them wanted to use him for his money. Gaara did his best to ignore them and just followed Sakura. Finally the pink haired girl came to a stop and went into a rundown apartment. Gaara followed her in, trying his hardest to keep from being detected.

Sakura turned down a hallway and came to a stop outside of a room. Gaara watched from around the corner as she knocked and then went in. The door closed behind her and Gaara went to the door and pressed his ear to it.

"How are you?" he heard Sakura ask the occupant of the room. There was no audible reply.

"Don't do that!" Gaara heard Sakura shout and something was knocked to the ground. Gaara frowned.

"You can survive this! You don't need to end your life!" Sakura shouted. Gaara became worried. Whoever Sakura was talking to was suicidal.

"I don't want to survive this! It hurts too much!" came the hoarse shout that answered Sakura. Gaara froze, his blood running cold. That was Naruto's voice!

"You have to survive it Naruto!" Sakura was starting to sound desperate. Gaara moved to get to a better position. All sound ceased in the room. Gaara frowned and pressed his ear closer to the door. Gaara fell forward onto the dirty floor with a thump as the door was thrown open. A growl above him alerted him to the fact that there was someone standing over him. Gaara looked up and saw the angry face of Sakura.

"Sakura? What was it?" Naruto asked wandering out of the bedroom to see what was going on. He froze, gasping and held a hand over his mouth, clearly catching sight of Gaara.

"Gaara?" he asked his voice suddenly airy. Gaara looked to the blonde and he winced. Naruto looked horrible, his clothes were tattered, he was covered in bruises and fresh bandages were covering his arms.

"Naruto…" Gaara managed to say. Sakura stepped on his back and Gaara winced, the wounds from nearly two weeks ago may be gone physically but they seemed to be aching at the moment.

"Sakura! Leave him alone!" Naruto shouted, rushing over to the red head's side. Sakura reluctantly took her foot from Gaara's back. Naruto helped the red head up. Gaara frowned at Naruto.

"Naruto… what did you do?" he asked, gently taking hold of one of Naruto's arms. Naruto quickly drew back his arm and backed up a little bit.

"What would you care about what I do?" Naruto asked in a cold voice. Gaara felt his heart sink a little at that.

"Of course I care. I've always cared Naruto. If I didn't care I wouldn't have been so worried about you!" Gaara said. Naruto scoffed and his once bright blue eyes looked away.

"Ha! You weren't worried! You were too busy snogging Sasuke to even notice I was gone!" Naruto shouted. Gaara grew angry.

"I wasn't snogging Sasuke! And I was worried! I tried asking everyone but no one would tell me anything! I couldn't find you anywhere!" Gaara shouted back.

Naruto laughed. It was a mirthless laugh, and Gaara didn't like the sound of it.

"Then how did you find me now?" Naruto asked, sneering at Gaara.

"I saw Sakura and followed her," Gaara said softly. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Wow… and it took you this long to decide to follow her? His sluttiness must have gotten out of the hospital. So he's finally out, eh? Why the hell aren't you banging his brains out?" Naruto sneered. Gaara's glare grew cold.

"Don't say stuff like that Naruto… you know what he's been through," Gaara said. Naruto barked out a laugh.

"So? So what if I know? He's a fucking bastard! I wish he would die!" Naruto shouted. Gaara snapped. His hand moved of its own accord and slapped Naruto hard. Naruto turned his face back to look at Gaara, tears standing in his eyes.

"Don't… say things like that," Gaara said stiffly. A few tears leaked free of Naruto's eyes. Gaara felt something connect with the back of his head and then everything was darkness.


	26. Escape

**Disclaimer:** No own

**If:** Ahhh... I had so many ideas for what was going to happen! I'm liking this version though, some of the others were so... predictable and stuff... but anyway, hope you enjoy!

* * *

Gaara awoke to sickeningly painful headache and the realization that he was tied to a chair in the middle of the living room in the dingy apartment. Gaara groaned he was pretty sure that there would be some sort of damage to the back of his head. He could feel blood trickling down his neck and drying on his skin, it was sickening. Dimly, Gaara noted that the sun was starting to set in the distance and he could only wonder how long he had been out. Gaara could see that neither Naruto nor Sakura were in the room, but he could hear them bickering in the other room. Wincing, Gaara strained to hear what they were talking about, but his senses were dull from the trauma to his head and it took him a while to hear them clearly.

"… I don't care Sakura! You didn't have to smash a chair over his head!" Gaara heard Naruto shout from the next room.

"He deserved it! Look what's happened to you!" Sakura shouted back. Gaara heard some shuffling in the next room.

"It's not his fault!" Naruto shouted and Gaara was curious if they were still talking about him.

"Of course it's his fault! He's the one that broke you!"

Yup, they were still talking about Gaara.

"It was Sasuke's fault!"

Gaara froze at that statement. Sasuke…

"If that teme hadn't come back then this wouldn't have happened!"

"No it wouldn't have, everything would still be the way it was Naruto! You would only be friends! You can't pin this on Sasuke-kun!"

"I can and I will!"

There was a crash.

"Naruto!"

Gaara turned his head to stare out the window. For some reason, he felt as if he had been sucked into a soap opera. There was too much drama in his life nowadays. It had never been this bad before… Gaara sighed.

Sasuke… Gaara was sure that he would never be forgiven for this. He didn't deserve to be forgiven for leaving the one he loved to go and find his sunlight. Gaara growled. Why couldn't his love be his sunlight? Why couldn't they be the same person?

When Naruto was around Gaara was calm and sane. Gaara had full control over Shukaku when Naruto was around. Life was normal, almost, and Gaara was happy, or at least as happy as he could have been with an abusive father.

But with Sasuke… with Sasuke, Gaara felt whole. It was as if a missing piece of him was re-connected. Sasuke made Gaara feel things he had never felt before, he made Gaara unable to control himself and around Sasuke Gaara would act like more of a human than he did before.

Gaara realized that by going after Naruto he had chosen to take the safe way out. He had been so used to not feeling much of anything and trying to hide away so that he couldn't be hurt. Gaara hadn't realized that he was hiding. In going after Naruto he had proven that he couldn't handle these new emotions, that he was afraid for himself. Gaara knew that he had problems trusting people and believing in himself, but this was ridiculous. Gaara couldn't hide from his feelings and himself forever. He had taken the route that while it would make him happy to an extent, it would never be as fulfilling as the more dangerous route where he could be hurt. The best things in life were the things you had to take a chance upon and work for. Gaara was a coward.

Gaara twitched dangerously. He had to get out of here. He had to go find Sasuke and beg for forgiveness. Gaara knew that he didn't deserve forgiveness for what he had done, but he had to try. He had to put his head on the chopping block and hope for a miracle.

Sakura and Naruto were still arguing in the other room, and from the sound of it, it seemed as though it were getting more violent. Gaara took the opportunity to try and free himself.

Twisting his arms around, Gaara found that escape would be a little harder than he had thought. There was no way he could untie these ropes and there was no way to move the chair, Sakura had tied his feet to the bottom. Gaara decided that he would have to break the chair somehow. Easier said than done.

Gaara tried to move the creaky chair he was on, but only the front legs moved back. Gaara got an idea. He kept inching the front legs back, trying to keep his weight on the back legs to keep them anchored. Feeling unsteady, Gaara leaned forward. There was a sharp crack and the flimsy chair's front legs snapped under the pressure. Gaara bit back a scream as the rest of the chair landing on his legs and the broken wood dug into the back of his knees. Gaara shifted his weight and managed to push himself to the side, the chair now crushing one of his arms, but Gaara paid it no heed. Gaara moved his legs and stretched them out, his eyes instantly darting to the other room. No one came forth.

Gaara started to push himself around, trying to maneuver himself so that he would be able to rise to his feet. Finally being able to sit up, which was awkward and painful thanks to the back legs of the chair still being intact, Gaara hoisted himself to his feet. Wincing as he felt several splinters of wood digging into his legs, Gaara ignored the pain and walked over to the table that held a glass. Hoping that he wouldn't be heard, Gaara bumped the table and knocked over the glass, which shattered at his feet. Again his eyes darted to the other room, but the two inside were still bickering.

Gaara heaved a sigh of relief and knelt on the ground, ignoring the glass that dug into his already abused knees. Wincing, Gaara let himself fall to the side, right onto the broken glass. Biting his lip to keep from crying out in pain, Gaara's fingers scrambled across the ground and picked up a piece of glass and instantly began to file away at the rope wrapped around him.

Gaara's wrist and hand were starting to cramp up and he was worried that the rope would never snap. The voices in the other room were suddenly quiet and Gaara started to panic.

_Shit!_ He thought as his hand started to work over time. He needed to get out of these ropes before they got out of that room!

The creaking of a door opening made Gaara's eyes widen immeasurably. The rope snapped. Gaara instantly pulled and tugged at the rope, desperately trying to get free. The ropes finally fell from his torso. Gaara briefly thought about disconnecting the rope around his legs to get the splintered wood off his legs, but thought differently as he heard two voices start to talk amiably, apparently their argument was resolved. Gaara turned and saw the window. There was no screen. It was just a big glass window, and now it was his only way to escape. Gaara got to his feet.

"Gaara!" Naruto shouted. Gaara whirled around to face his friend. Gaara saw Sakura's eyes narrow. Gaara backed up from them both.

"Gaara… where do you think you're going?" Naruto asked, frowning. Gaara's mouth went dry.

"I have to find Sasuke," Gaara replied. Naruto's forehead ticked.

"Sasuke, eh?" he said, stepping forward. Gaara nodded, backing away from his friend. "What's so special about _him?_"

"…" Gaara's mouth opened but he couldn't think of a reason. "He just is."

Naruto scoffed and took another step forward. Gaara backed up again and his back hit the window. Gaara looked outside for a moment; there were some bushes outside the window…

Gaara looked at the blonde for a moment. "Naruto… you should open your eyes. There's someone here who really cares about you."

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"You shouldn't pin everything on me Naruto… it would have never worked. I don't think you know that," Gaara said. He saw Sakura grab the mutilated chair. "You should really look around you and see what I'm seeing right now."

Naruto seemed to think about that for a moment and that was all Sakura needed. Naruto was shoved out of the way and into the dingy couch and the chair was thrown at Gaara. Expecting this move, Gaara ducked out of the way. The chair hit the window, but didn't break it; it only managed to crack the glass.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted as the pink haired girl picked up the small table Gaara had knocked into. Gaara dashed out of the way as the piece of furniture was sent his way once again. The widow exploded outwards as the table hit and Gaara jumped out among the falling glass, covering his head and rolling as he hit the ground. Gaara cried out as glass dug into his skin, but he ignored it and got up. Taking a look back at the scene behind him, Gaara almost smiled. Naruto was clutching onto Sakura and the pink haired girl was holding him tightly and nodded at the red head. Gaara nodded in return. All was forgiven… for now. Sakura may have knocked him out and probably caused head trauma, but she had let Gaara out and had heard the words he had said.

Gaara started to run back towards the park he had left Sasuke in.

* * *

Twenty minutes or so later, it was dark and Gaara was gasping for breath. He had finally reached the park, and was searching it for any sign of Sasuke, but he was finding none. Gaara finally managed to stumble upon the spot that they had been lounging in earlier that day. Hot tears rolled down Gaara's face, and he wiped them away angrily. Gaara surveyed the area, but there wasn't a soul in sight.

Hanging his head in defeat, Gaara nearly missed the note that was stuck to the tree he was now leaning on. Gaara frowned. It had his name on it. Could it have been from Sasuke?

Gaara opened the note and scanned it. His eyes grew wide and he read it carefully.

_I have taken back that which is rightfully mine. It would do you good to forget all about my little Sasuke-kun._

_I would also strongly suggest telling his brother as well. It would be such a shame if Itachi became some whining sniveling wimp… oh wait that happened already._

_That pathetic excuse for a genius should be put out of his misery. _

Gaara could only stare at the note for a while.

_Shit_… was what Gaara thought.


	27. Blood, Sweat and Tears

**Disclaimer:** If no own Naruto

**If:** ... umm... wow, I didn't update yesterday... I haven't updated every other day since... at least a month ago... Um... I don't have an excuse really. I was sewing my pretty top, worked and then watch the Sox game... but anyway, here it is y'all.

**Warning:** Torture, Sickness, Descriptiveness

* * *

J3nN4: Hmmm... I don't know. I don't know if I'm twisted enough to have Sasu submit to the napper... I don'tthink it would fit.Meh, I don't know. Thanks for the review though! 

KK : Mou, thanks. I'm getting quite good at these evil cliff hangers, b/c I'm evil/cool like that. Heh. And Naruto? Hmmm... I actually don't know what I'm gonna do with him. I had thought about putting him with Sakura (b/c NaruSaku is so an under-rated couple) but I don't know. Thanks for the review! 

puptastic25 : He he he... yeah, it is pretty painfully obvious that Oro took him... and yup, I'm evil b/c I did let him take him. I can't help it... I love to torture Sasuke. He he he... And I'm pretty sure that you're right that Gaara's gonna need a lot of therapy and TLC after this... Thanks for the review! 

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Waaah! He he he... don't worry about it man! So long as I know that y'all are reading my fic, I'm happy! I mean, I just love to have people reading! Reviews are just a wonderful perk that keep me happy and making this the best fic I can. He he he... you're definitely right about the DRAMA! I love DRAMA and ANGST:) they're very prevalent in my stories. Hope you enjoy this new chap!

* * *

Gaara was panicking. The sun had set, he was in the park, and Sasuke had been abducted most likely by the one person Gaara would do anything to keep away from the raven haired boy. Gaara didn't know where Sasuke lived. Gaara didn't know Sasuke's phone number. Gaara was realizing that though he knew the other boy inside and out, that he didn't know anything outside of the person Sasuke was. Not knowing anything physical was a big problem. Gaara wasn't sure what he should do. He couldn't go back to Sakura and Naruto for fear that Naruto might actually break, and Gaara wasn't sure of how long Sakura would be able to control the blonde boy. He couldn't call any of their … friends because he didn't know any of their numbers and it's not like they would know where Sasuke would live anyway… Gaara was starting to think he had a bigger problem than he had originally thought. Maybe he could find a pay phone; there might be a phone book in one of those.

And so Gaara started off to find a pay phone. He was jogging through the park, trying his best not to just start running around screaming the other boy's name. Crying out for Sasuke wouldn't exactly help right about now. Doing something so rash would just prove to be useless and Gaara knew it.

Gaara jogged out of the park and immediately spotted a pay phone. Gaara ran over to it and looked to see if there was a phone book. No luck. Gaara cursed colorfully, causing several people to turn and stare at him, and started running off in search of another pay phone. He managed to find a pay phone a city block over and around the corner. Gaara prayed for a phone book. There was one in the glass booth. Gaara silently praised whatever deity had blessed him with a phone book.

Gaara got into the booth and opened the phone book. He was looking for Uchiha. U… U… U! There it was. Gaara flipped pages anxiously, trying to find "Uc." He finally found it. Gaara scanned the page, and lo and behold, there was only one Uchiha. Gaara once again turned his eyes heavenward and thanked whatever deity was blessing him with this good luck. Gaara searched his pockets for any sort of change or cash, no such luck. Gaara cursed darkly and tore out the page from the phone book. Looking around at his surroundings, Gaara quickly noted where he was. It would take a while, but Gaara could make it to the hotel that he and siblings were staying at before it got too dark. Gaara started off.

* * *

Sasuke woke up with a groan and turned to his side, or at least he tried to. Sasuke was finding that he couldn't move. Cracking open his eyes, Sasuke also noted that he had somehow managed to get back home. But there was something wrong about his room that just wouldn't register in his muddled brain. Why was he home? 

Sasuke thought about it for a moment, or at least tried to think about it, but his foggy mind protested being used. Groaning again, Sasuke noticed that there was something on his wall. That was probably what was wrong… but what could be wrong with a wall hanging? It was just a wall hanging with long black hair hanging limply off the wall with blood covering its exposed skin….

"Itachi!" Sasuke barely managed to choke out of his flem encased throat. Sasuke tried clearing his throat, but it just wouldn't get whatever was covering his throat out. Sasuke was beginning to register a taste in his mouth that he had never wanted to taste ever again. Sasuke was feeling sick.

Turning his head to the side, and his body straining to move so that he wouldn't be lying in his own puke, Sasuke emptied his stomach of its contents. Sasuke coughed and hacked, his mind reeling and his stomach curling. Sasuke coughed up another portion of his stomach contents.

Laying back and trying to ignore the sickening smell of his own puke, Sasuke noted that the nasty taste left in his mouth tasted better than what had been in his mouth before. Sasuke shuddered and dry heaved a few times at just the memory of that taste.

Sasuke turned his head back to the other side and this time his eyes focused on his brother. Itachi looked horrible. Itachi's appearance reminded Sasuke of how he had looked after Shukaku had decided to make him a work of art. Cuts were covering his brother and Sasuke could just barely see the salt that was lining the cuts. Itachi's front was covered with welts and bruises, and Sasuke could see that a rib was nearly poking out the side of his brother. Sasuke bit back the urge to vomit again. He couldn't see Itachi's face, but if the constant drip of blood was anything to go by, his face probably looked horrible.

Sasuke was now desperately fighting off another wave of sickness, but when the door opened, revealing the one man that could torture him this much, Sasuke lost control of his body and barely managed to turn his head to the side as his stomach emptied again. Sasuke was now feeling lightheaded.

"Ah Sasuke-kun, what have you done?" the man asked. Sasuke's stomach rolled again and he dry heaved a few times, his stomach finally empty. The man smirked and walked over to Sasuke's side, obscuring his view of his battered brother.

"I suppose we'll have to move you, ne?" the man asked. Sasuke tried to back away from the face that was approaching his but found that if he moved back any farther he'd end up in his own mess, so Sasuke spit in the man's face.

The man's pale and snake like face dropped its smile and went blank. Orochimaru stood up straight and wiped the spit from his face. Orochimaru glared coldly at the boy tied to the bed.

"That wasn't a very smart thing to do Sasuke-kun," he said monotonously. Sasuke shivered. "You had better co-operate Sasuke-kun, or I just might decided to go out and find that precious boy you seem so attached to and add him to our little… fun."

Sasuke's eyes widened and his mouth opened and shut, but no sound came forth. Orochimaru smirked at him and bent down again, this time Sasuke didn't move. Orochimaru's long tongue came out from his mouth and laved the side of Sasuke's face.

"That's a good boy," Orochimaru said, standing up again. "We'll have you moved in no time Sasuke-kun. You'll be able to see your pathetic brother up close and personally."

And with that statement and matching smirk, Orochimaru was gone. Sasuke rubbed his cheek against the pillow, trying to get the sickening feeling of Orochimaru's tongue off his skin. Sasuke quickly turned his head to the other side and dry heaved again.

"Gaara…" Sasuke whispered, his voice not wanting to work. The door was flung open again and in came Kabuto and some other people that Sasuke could barely recognize, but knew that they had fucked him before. All of Orochimaru's friends had fucked him at some point in time. Sasuke could only watch as they untied his hands and feet, hoisted him in the air and carried him to the wall where Itachi was tied. Getting close to his brother's near lifeless body only made Sasuke feel that much sicker. His brother looked horrible to say the least, and up close like this, Sasuke could tell that the wounds were worse than they had looked from his position on the bed.

Sasuke became aware that Orochimaru's minions were turning him so that he was practically standing. They set his feet on the ground, pulled his legs apart and hooked his ankles into the steel restraints on the walls. Next they pushed his torso back and locked his wrists into the shackles above his head. They let go and Sasuke fell forward, unable to stop himself, his arms feeling as though they were pulled out of their sockets when his body jerked to a stop. Sasuke bit his lip to keep from crying out in pain.

"I see that our time apart hasn't affected your ability to keep yourself from crying out, whether in pain or pleasure," Orochimaru's sickening voice spoke from in front of Sasuke. Sasuke raised his head, which had fallen forward when his body had, to look at the man that had tortured, abused and used him for the last three years of his life. Sasuke wanted to just punch that smirk off that man's face and pummel him into oblivion, but two things were holding him back: his restraints, and the fact that Orochimaru currently had five or six henchmen.

"We'll have to see how our short time apart has truly affected you, my precious little Sasuke-kun… As you can see, your brother's few years apart from me has made him forget what he had learned back when he was your age and in your position," Orochimaru spoke. Sasuke turned startled eyes to his unconscious brother. _Itachi went through this too?_

"Yes… your brother was my pet before I acquired you my Sasuke-kun. But after that nasty incident with the massacre, he just wouldn't be my little toy anymore. I think the lack of drugs and pressuring parents had something to do with it… but I didn't need to worry about him, since I got you," Orochimaru said with a smirk on his face. Sasuke felt sick again. "You were too pig headed to listen to your brother, and I was oh so convincing."

Sasuke suddenly realized that it wasn't that his brother had been trying to control every aspect of his life after the massacre, but that he was trying to protect his brother. Since he had never done anything even remotely like that before, Sasuke had gotten it confused and had then made the biggest mistake of his life.

"Now then Sasuke-kun, let's see just how much you remember," Orochimaru purred, pulling something out from behind his back. Sasuke's eyes widened and he barely kept himself from screaming.

* * *

Gaara was tired, he was exhausted, but he had finally been able to get to the hotel. Gasping for air, and barely trudging inside, Gaara managed to make it to the front desk. The receptionist looked at him with wide eyes. Gaara bent over and put his hands on his knees, trying to breathe. 

"Are you alright?" the receptionist asked hesitantly. Gaara waved a hand at her absently still trying to breathe.

"Are you sure? You don't look too good," the receptionist said, peering over the desk. Gaara straightened, having finally managed to breathe normally.

"I'm fine," he said a little breathlessly. "Can I use the phone?"

"You have to be a registered guest to use the phone," the receptionist said. Gaara nodded.

"I'm in room 412 with my siblings," Gaara said. The receptionist nodded at him.

"I'm going to have to see a key or I.D.," she said. Gaara fished around in his pockets and pulled out his room key. The receptionist turned the phone around. "Go right ahead."

Gaara pulled the now folded piece of paper from his pocket and opened it up. Placing his finger by the name "Uchiha" Gaara dialed the number.

The phone was picked up on the third ring.

"Hello? Is Itachi there?" Gaara asked. There was no reply and Gaara's brow furrowed. "Hello?"

Gaara froze and nearly dropped the phone, hearing the pained screams that were coming over the phone.

"_That's right my Sasuke-kun… scream. Scream!"_


	28. Stepping Into Action

**Disclaimer:** Nicht mein

**If:** Life keeps getting in my way lately... what's up with that? Sorry for the slight slowness, what with me being a day late and all... But yeah. This is a big chapter for me. 28 my longest story... soooo w00t! I wish to celebrate with a little random side thing. You'll know it. It'll say "In an Alternate Universe..." Its just something I felt like doing, and stuff...

* * *

KK : I'm flattered that you think my story is getting better and better. :) Yeah... I don't know about that NaruSaku thing. Its still in the R&D. I don't know yet, we'll have to see. Mou, and thanks for the compliment on my cliffies. I love cliffies. They're pretty sweet. But thanks so much for the review! 

3nv : Mou, I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter so much! And yeah, that last line was just sooo evil... I love it as well. :) Thanks for the review!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : He he he... yeah... its now time for DRAMA! Dun dun dun... what will happen? The suspense:) It certainly will be a violent situation...

* * *

There was a gut wrenching scream that echoed over the phone and into Gaara's soul. Gaara's heart clenched painfully. 

"_That's right… scream like the little bitch you are!" _

Gaara did drop the phone after hearing what he had heard. The plastic phone clattered noisily against the side of the desk as it fell from his numb fingers. In fact, Gaara just felt numb. The numbness however, did not last long. Feeling sick and disturbed and entirely guilty, Gaara turned and started a mad dash for the room he and his siblings were sharing, ignoring the worried shout from the receptionist.

Gripping the phone book page tightly in his hand, Gaara ran down the hallway, up some stairs and down another hallway. He had to hurry. He had to get there. He had to save him!

Gaara's mind was whirling, his emotions were haywire and he was on the brink of a mental breakdown, or of Shukaku coming out once again. He couldn't believe himself. He was disgusted with himself. He hated himself. How could he have abandoned the person who loved him and who he loved in return? How could he have betrayed the only thing that had meant something for a cheap imitation? What sort of sick, twisted person was he to hand over the most precious thing in his life to the one creature that could break it?

What sort of monster was he?

Memories flooded Gaara's mind and he was momentarily immobilized. Gaara was frozen in the hallway and those hatedful words that had been shouted all his life came back to him.

_"It wasn't enough for you to kill the only woman I ever loved! It wasn't enough for you to live while she died! It wasn't enough for you to **murder** your own uncle! It wasn't enough for you to just be the spawn of the devil! No! You had to be some man fucking **fag!** What more will you do? How much is enough! Haven't you done enough you fucking demon from the deepest pit of hell!"_

_"You are a child whom no one loves! You are a demon!"_

_"You fucking demon! You fucking soulless monstrosity!"_

_"Shit! That demon boy is watching you... watch out, he may just slit your throat or stab you in the back if you so much as turn around."_

Gaara collapsed to the floor. Self-loathing was taking over Gaara's brain and he could hear the remnants of that song in the back of his mind, but he didn't care. He was a monster, he deserved to be hated, ridiculed, struck down and trampled upon. He was nothing. He was a monster.

_"You're not a monster."_

Gaara's mind went blank. Hadn't Sasuke said that?

The song was still playing at the back of Gaara's mind. Gaara had to save Sasuke. If it meant saving Sasuke, he didn't care if Shukaku came out and killed half the population, so long as it would save him. Gaara had to do at least that much. Sasuke had saved him from his demons, it was the least Gaara could do to save him from his own demons.

Gaara began his frantic dash again,stopping in front of the room and instantly started banging on the door. He paused briefly, but no one answered. He began to wonder how late it was before pounding on the door again. He started to scream out his siblings names, becoming increasingly more worried and anxious.

"Temari! Kankuro!" Gaara shouted as he banged on the door. Several other occupants opened their doors and yelled at him to shut the hell up, but Gaara ignored them. The door swung open, to reveal a half asleep Temari.

"Gaara?" she asked, thoroughly confused as to what was going through her little brother's head. Gaara just pushed her aside and stepped into the room, flipping on the lights as he did so.

"We have to go… now," Gaara said desperately, walking to the bed Kankuro was sleeping peacefully in. Grabbing one of the spare pillows, he started to beat his brother with it. Kankuro woke up with a start and cursed his little brother.

"What the fuck Gaara?" he shouted pissed off at his sibling. Gaara just calmly walked away.

"You both need to get dressed. We have to leave," he said, leaving all specifics out and not telling them anything.

"What the hell? Why the fuck do we have to get up and dressed?" Kankuro asked, still angry at his brother.

"Because I need you to help me," Gaara said. Both siblings just gave their brother a questioning look. Gaara sighed. "Sasuke's in trouble… I need to save him."

Temari furrowed her brow. Kankuro scoffed and flopped back down onto the bed. Gaara began to shake, angry with his siblings.

"Look, I did something stupid. I left Sasuke for Naruto and now… now…" Gaara started to explain. Tears started to pour down from his eyes and he wiped at them furiously. "Now he's in the clutches of an evil man, who is raping him!"

Temari's mouth dropped open and Kankuro's head shot up. Gaara glared at them furiously.

"If you don't believe me, call this number," Gaara said, pointing to the Uchiha's number. "They'll let you listen!"

Temari rushed over to her younger brother and wrapped him up into a tight hug. Kankuro got up off his bed and started to get dressed.

"Oh Gaara…" Temari said, her own tears running down her face. Gaara weakly hugged his sister back.

"Alright then…" Kankuro said. Gaara looked at his brother as Temari grabbed some clothes and dashed into the bathroom. "Let's go save your boyfriend."

Gaara blinked, and then a tiny relieved smile crossed his face.

"We're going to need some… tools I think," Kankuro said grabbing the phone book page from Gaara's hand. He looked at the address and nodded. "There's a hardware store near this place that we should be able to stop at to get something."

Temari surfaced from the bathroom and grabbed her purse, her mouth set in a firm line.

"Alright, let's do this," she said. Gaara wanted to thank his siblings, but they were leaving and he had to catch up.

* * *

Sasuke was bleeding, he hurt like hell, and he was violated. Sasuke hadn't felt this bad in months. The only thing that was getting him through this ordeal was the thought of Gaara. Gaara would surely save him… 

"_Gaara?" he asked tentatively, almost afraid of what the red head would do._

_Gaara sat up, and then stood; totally ignoring the way Sasuke was looking at him with hurt and tear filled eyes. Gaara was in his own world, his world that had gone from bright and sunny to black and dangerous. He needed his sun back._

"_I'm sorry…" was all the red head said before he walked away, leaving a stunned and almost confused Sasuke behind._

Sasuke didn't want to cry, but the tears were already falling down his face. He wasn't crying because of his fate, he wasn't crying from the pain, he was crying because the one person he had opened up to entirely and loved with his whole being had walked away from him. Sasuke was crying because he thought that he was lower than dirt in the eyes of the man he loved with all his being. Sasuke began to sob.

Malicious laughter fluttered to Sasuke's ears and he struggled with himself to stop from sobbing and he raised his head to look at the man holding him hostage. Orochimaru was grinning like a lunatic.

"Have I broken you so much already Sasuke-kun?" he asked, still grinning and stepping up to stop in front of the prone raven haired boy, lifting his chin with his left hand. Sasuke growled and spit into his face.

"Like hell you have you sick bastard," Sasuke snapped. Orochimaru smirked and dropped Sasuke's chin before slapping him harshly.

"Then I better work harder," Orochimaru said monotonously.

* * *

Gaara was surprised to see how evil his siblings could really be. He had gone into the hardware store thoroughly confused, but now he was actually kind of scared. Temari had grabbed three large monkey wrenches and a nail gun and plenty of nails. Kankuro had managed to find a few large pipes and a nasty looking hammer. Both siblings had shoved a pipe and a piece of wood and hammer into his arms. Gaara was now "armed and dangerous" apparently. 

Temari paid and the three Sabaku siblings climbed back into the car, heading off once again at incredibly illegal speeds towards their destination: Sasuke.

Gaara was twiddling with his pipe, having already taken a fondness to it. He was currently stroking the cold metal as though it were a pet. The song was like a dull throb in the back of his brain, and Gaara was actually conversing with his alter-ego.

_I'll rip him apart with my bear hands_, Shukaku was saying. Gaara was nodding his agreement. _I'll teach that bastard to not touch what's **mine**_.

'Damn straight,' Gaara agreed. 'I'll bash his brain in.'

Gaara felt Shukaku nodding his agreement. _That's a very nice pipe. Don't use it on any of the lackeys._

Gaara nodded absently. 'Of course not. Why would I want to soil such a perfect piece of pipe with the blood of a minion?'

Shukaku snorted. _Just reminding you, you worthless piece of crap._

Gaara flinched. 'Gee… thanks. And here I thought we were getting along.'

_Hah! I'll never get along with a pathetic excuse for a human as you. You left the one good thing that happened to us._

'You know… Naruto was good for me…'

… _I don't think so you dolt. All he did was repress me. This guy though… While he may have made me… excited…_

'Excited? You call cutting him up and beating him 'excited!"

Shukaku seemed to become slightly nervous. _Yeah… well… _

Gaara grumbled something.

"Gaara?" Temari's voice cut through Gaara's inner dialogue. He looked up at his sister.

"What?" Gaara asked. Temari grinned and Gaara found himself scooting away from his sister.

"We're here."

* * *

In an Alternate Universe…

* * *

Gaara stared at the computer screen in something near horror. He blinked and it was still there. The Kazekage just couldn't fathom this. This was mind blowing, it was boggling, it was… 

"Gaara?" a sleepy voice asked from behind him. A hand winding around his waist alerted him to his partner waking. Gaara ignored him as his lover wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his head on Gaara's shoulder.

"What is it?" his lover asked, kissing the side of his face. Gaara grumbled something incoherent.

"What was that?" his lover asked. Gaara pointed to the laptop's screen. Black hair obstructed his view and a hand snaked around him to scroll up the page Gaara was on.

"An update?" Sasuke asked, turning black eyes to his lover. Gaara nodded. "And?"

Gaara growled.

"That bad?" Sasuke asked, hugging his lover tightly.

"No… I'm just… annoyed…" Gaara gritted out.

"Annoyed?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah…" Gaara said. He turned to face his lover. "Why the hell would I leave you for Naruto?"

Sasuke chuckled and kissed his lover.


	29. Ten Minutes

**Disclaimer:** Don't own

**If:** ... I stink. I don't know what it is, but I had a hard time figuring out what I was going to do for a second there... but I got it all figured out, and here it is... once again a day late... Hope you all enjoy!

**Warning: **Violence! Blood!

* * *

KK : Thanks so much. I hope you enjoy Athens! 

Abby : He he he... I don't know if you are. It might've been a bit confusing with that little AU tacked on the end, but the AU had nothing to do with the story. I just felt like writing it. Thanks for the review though.

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : He he he... yeah. Now down to the action and violence and all that. I'm glad you liked the AU. It is a bit of a humor with all this angst and such lately...

* * *

Gaara peered out the window and looked at the place where Sasuke lived. It was a nice two story house in the suburbs on the outskirts of the city. Gaara was rather surprised that they were there, but then his mind brought up the fact that it wasn't just Sasuke this creep was after. This would be the place to find the older Uchiha, and it would be convenient to just stay here.

A part of Gaara's brain was reasoning that the pervert would want to take Sasuke back with him, but he wouldn't be able to leave Itachi alive in order to do so. The older Uchiha was fighting to get his brother back, Sasuke had said as much. There would be no way that the older Uchiha would just let his brother be taken once again by the same creep who had abducted him the first time around. No, they would have to eliminate the older Uchiha to regain possession of the younger. Itachi's life was in danger.

"We're gonna have to hurry," Gaara said looking at his siblings. They nodded. "Sasuke is being tortured, and I'm pretty sure they're planning on killing his older brother Itachi."

Again, both siblings nodded, slightly disturbed by how calm their brother was.

"I'm assuming that they'll be on the second floor. It won't be just one or two people, he'll most likely have at least six minions roaming the house," Gaara theororized. He turned stern on his siblings. "I'm warning you. They won't be pushovers."

Kankuro barked out a laugh and Temari turned to grin evilly at her brother, who was slightly disturbed by it.

"Don't assume we're pushovers," Kankuro said, turning to look at his brother.

"Yeah… we've been preparing to take down father for a while now, we can handle some minions," Temari added. Gaara frowned.

"Don't kill anyone," he warned. "If anything, I'll take all the blame for this. You understand me? No matter what, even if they find evidence that you were there; all the blame falls on me."

Both siblings looked like they were going to protest but Gaara held up a hand.

"I won't have you going off to jail because of me," Gaara said. "This is what I'm supposed to do, and this is what I have to do. I was going to do this alone, but it seems you two won't let me."

Kankuro and Temari looked at their brother. Gaara looked at them with pleading eyes.

"I'm asking for ten minutes," he said. "I want ten minutes before you do something stupid, namely helping me."

"But Gaara…" Temari started but stopped once she got a good look at her brother. Lowering her eyes she nodded slowly. Kankuro just clenched his jaw.

"Fine. But we're only giving you ten minutes," he said. Gaara smiled softly at his siblings and nodded.

"Understood," he said. Gaara opened his door and stepped out of the car, bringing his pipe and hammer with him, but leaving the piece of wood behind. Gaara hooked the hammer through a belt loop on his pants and took a deep breath. He began his trek down the sidewalk to the front door.

"Remember Gaara! Ten minutes!" Temari yelled through her now open window.

Gaara absently waved his hand over his shoulder, never pausing in his trek to the door. The trek was shortly ended and the red head reached out his free left hand to try and open the door. It was locked. Growling in frustration, Gaara backed up and rolled his shoulder. He was going to ram the door open.

Dashing to the door, Gaara rammed into it with as much force as he could muster, but he only heard a crack. Gaara grit his teeth, his shoulder was killing him, but he just ignored it. Gaara backed up for a second try. Ramming into the door with as much force as he did the first time, Gaara managed to bust the lock. Gaara kicked the door and it flew open. Surprisingly there was no one there to greet him.

Gaara firmed his grip on the pipe in his right hand and cautiously entered the house. Looking around a gauging his whereabouts was difficult since all the lights were out, but once Gaara's eyes adjusted, he knew he had to hurry.

Furniture was broken and strewn all over the floor. Both adjoining rooms were trashed. Gaara could see that the walls were dented and that in some places the paint was darker than others. Gaara had a feeling that it wasn't paint that was smeared on the walls.

Stepping further into the house, Gaara followed the entryway and stepped down the hallway that led into the kitchen. Gaara saw two people sitting at the table.

"Well well, look what we have here," said a malicious voice from behind Gaara. Whirling around, Gaara came face to chest with a large man. Gaara looked up.

"Looks like we've got a fucking intruder," said a female from the vicinity of the table.

"Watch your mouth," the big man snapped.

"Shut up you big fuck," the woman spoke. The big man clenched a fist.

"Why don't you both stop and take care of our little intruder here," the third person said. Gaara flinched and stepped back from the big man.

"Fine then," the big man said, reaching forward to try and get a grip on Gaara. The pipe came crashing down on his arm and a resounding crack was heard. The big man was screaming.

"You little bitch," the woman said from behind. Gaara whirled around, swinging the pipe in defense. The pipe smashed into the woman's face. "Shit!"

Gaara felt Shukaku take over his mind and could only watch as his body smashed the pipe down on the woman's skull as she was clutching her broken nose. Another resounding crack was heard as metal cracked bone. A large hand wrapped itself around his body's neck and Shukaku growled swinging the pipe at the arm attached to the hand. The big man cursed and let his body go. Shukaku rolled to the side and brought the pipe up again, striking the big man's knee. A scream was heard and the man fell.

"You little brat," the third man growled, grabbing several knives from the kitchen's counter. Shukaku smirked and charged. The third man threw one of the knives, grazing Gaara's side. Shukaku hissed but kept running. Pipe crashed into knife and the thinner piece of metal snapped. The third man stabbed his third knife into Gaara's side as the pipe connected with his neck, snapping it but not killing him. Gaara screamed in pain and clutched his hands to his side, Shukaku having lost control of their body.

Gaara frantically looked around for some cloth to wrap around the wound and saw the kitchen table was covered in one. Gaara stumbled his way to the table and grabbed the cloth, wincing as pain laced its way up his side. Gritting his teeth, Gaara pulled the bloody knife from his side. Another scream fled his throat and Gaara's knees gave out, his body collapsing to the ground. Gaara knew that he shouldn't take the knife out, but he had to, otherwise other minions would target it.

Pulling the cloth to the ground, Gaara used the knife to cut and tear it into large pieces that he could wrap around his torso. Binding the wound was hard, and painful, but Gaara tried to get it done as fast as he could, not wanting to give other's an opening that could be used to his disadvantage.

Grinding his teeth, Gaara managed to get back on his feet. Using the wall for guidance, Gaara stumbled into a different room, blinking as the lights were unexpectedly turned on, momentarily blinding him.

"Well, look what we have here brother," a male voice spoke from behind. Gaara whirled around, flailing his pipe, but he didn't connect with anything. The voice laughed.

"He certainly is an energetic one brother," a near identical voice said from behind him. Gaara whirled again his eyes finally clearing. Two identical boys were standing next to each other in the dining room, each leaning on the table behind them. Both boys held chair legs in their hands, ripped from the chairs that were busted apart all over the house. Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"I'm surprised you got this far," one of the brothers spoke.

"Those three certainly weren't pushovers," the other said.

"It seems we'll have to finish you off ourselves," the first spoke again. The second grinned. Gaara winced as his side hurt again, his blood already bleeding through the many layers of cloth.

"Looks like they at least wounded him," the second said. The first nodded in agreement and they both started to walk towards Gaara. Gaara took in a deep breath and grabbed his hammer, holding a weapon in each of his hands.

The brothers ran and soon Gaara found that they were on either side of him and he couldn't block all their blows. Shukaku had once again resurfaced in his mind and was itching to fight since Gaara wasn't quite holding them off, getting struck nearly every other blow. Shukaku was surprised the boy was still standing.

_Let me control your left side. Two against two is much easier to handle twerp_, Shukaku told Gaara. Gaara grunted in response and Shukaku gained control with the half that wielded the hammer.

Both halves of Gaara blocked the blows thrown at them. Suddenly he found himself kicking the boy in front of his half of the body, sending him crashing into the table.

_Now!_ Shukaku yelled. Gaara spun and landed his pipe square on the jaw of the brother Shukaku had been fighting. There was a loud crack and several teeth broke free as the boy's head snapped to the side and he collapsed to the ground. A chair leg connected to the back of Gaara's skull, knocking out Shukaku. Gaara bit his lip to keep himself from passing out as well. He turned on unsteady legs to face the now livid boy standing behind him.

"I'll kill you!" the boy shouted and it was all Gaara could do to block the flurry of blows sent his way. Gaara's knees gave out once again and he crashed to the floor. The boy in front of him landed a kick to his mid section and Gaara coughed up blood, screaming in agony as the wound in his side flared up white hot pain. Gaara's grip on his pipe slackened and he let it go. The boy laughed maliciously and kicked Gaara again. Pain clouded Gaara's eyes and he started to wish that he had let Temari and Kankuro come with him.

Tightening his grip on the hammer, Gaara raised his head to see the boy crying and laughing at the same time, his head thrown back in his fit. Gaara grit his teeth and crawled forward until he was in striking distance. Using his last bit of strength, Gaara brought the hammer up, and smashed it into the boy's kneecap, crushing it. A scream filled with pain rang out through the house and Gaara and the second boy collapsed on the ground.


	30. Discovered

**Disclaimer:** Teh If no owns teh Naruto

**If:** Bleh... I'm on a slow streak... damn it... But oh well. At least I get to write all this dark, Angsty, violence... I'm not evil.

**Warning:** Violence, Blood, some disturbing content

* * *

3nv : Eh? Who's so not worthy? Wha? I'm somewhat confused... Why doesn't Gaara let Shukaku totally control him? I think that though he's desperate to get back to Sasuke and save him, he doesn't want to kill anyone b/c that would have bad reprucussions after the fact. I think that he's almost thinking ahead. He he he... you'll see where Temari and Kankuro are... :)

brezzie : Wow, I'm glad you like my story so much. And yup, they're evil... I needed minions and I remembered that Oro had had minions in the anime, so I used them. He he he... we're getting to his snakey-ness, no worries. Gaara'll will hopefully hand his ass to him. Oh! And I would love to check out your story if I had a link to it. FF doesn't like to show links, so just message me or something (the wonders of the internet are abundant).

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : he he he... yesh, kicking butt and leaving bodies... its something that Gaara is an expert in. :) Ah, but you forgot a minion. Gaara has one more minion to deafeat before moving on to Oro.

Redcloudangel : Yesh, the intense-ness. I love writing stuff like this. So thanks much. And good luck on the GaaSasu in the next one, the first one was really good. :)

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Gaara's world was black, and he could swear that he was dead. But Gaara refused to believe he was dead, he hadn't rescued Sasuke yet, so he couldn't be dead. The next thing that reassured him of that fact was the pain lacing up his side, front, back, legs, everywhere. Gaara was in immense pain, he realized. He was beaten and bruised and still losing blood. If things kept going the way they were Gaara would be gone from blood loss soon. A sharp poke to his side snapped Gaara out of his world of back, jolting him into a world tinted red, but still full of color. Gaara blinked a few times, trying to get his bearings and his eyes met with another pair of green eyes.

"… I'm surprised you're up," said the boy kneeling in front of Gaara. Gaara could only grunt a response, quickly taking stock of this newcomer. White as snow hair was pulled back into three separate ponytails, the front two just pulling excessively long bangs off the boys face. There was a tattoo that was extending over his face and presumably all around his body that made Gaara wonder if something similar would have happened to Sasuke if he had staid with Orochimaru. The thought was quickly dismissed as Gaara began to wonder what this boy would do to him.

"You're probably wondering if I'm going to finish you off or something along those lines, aren't you?" the boy asked smugly. Gaara scowled. The boy grabbed Gaara's arms and began to pull him out of the dining room and into the last room Gaara had yet to go into, the room that had the stairs leading to the second floor, the living room. Wincing at the pulling of his wounds, Gaara was pretty sure he was leaving a streak of red behind him as he was unceremoniously dragged across the floor. The boy stopped pulling once they were in the living room.

"I'm going to help you," the boy stated before disappearing back the way he had come. Gaara was confused. He didn't even know this guy, why was he going to help him? This was confusing!

The boy re-entered the living room carrying fresh torn sheets, water, and what appeared to be a first aid kit. Taking a glass he had managed to carry with him, the boy dipped it into the bowl of water and placed it carefully on the ground. Putting everything else down, scattered around Gaara, the boy started to rifle through the first aid kit. Moments later, a bottle was held triumphantly in the air. The boy popped the cap and poured a handful of pills into his hand. Maneuvering himself behind Gaara, the boy gently lifted Gaara's torso so that it rested against the boy's own chest.

"Open your mouth," the boy commanded. Gaara obediently obeyed. The boy put two pills into his mouth then placed the glass to Gaara's lips. Gaara took a swig of the water and downed the pills, he could only hope they kicked in soon, he felt like shit.

"Open up again," the boy commanded once again. Gaara opened his mouth and two more pills were put in his mouth, followed closely by a mouthful of water. Gaara quickly gulped the water and pills down.

"I sure hope… you're not trying to… overdose me on painkillers," Gaara panted out, even talking was winding him. The boy chuckled behind him, Gaara feeling the vibrations against his back.

"Of course not… this will help you in the long run… trust me," the boy said as he began to lay Gaara down again. Moving the cup aside, the boy moved back to Gaara's side. Starting with Gaara's stomach wound, the boy carefully undressed, cleaned and redressed the wounds covering Gaara's body. The red head was eternally grateful, but couldn't help but wonder at the boy's actions.

"Why are you helping me?" Gaara asked managing to sit up on his own as the boy pushed all of the dirty strips of cloth and such away from them.

"Because…" the boy said, stopping mid-thought. Gaara silently encouraged the boy to continue. "Because I was supposed to be Orochimaru-sama's one and only…"

Gaara's mind froze, going entirely blank. This boy _wanted_ to be… used by Orochimaru? Was he insane?"

"Are you nuts?" Gaara asked bluntly. The boy chuckled sadly.

"I wish… it would certainly make things a lot less… messy…" the boy stated. "I want you to rescue your boyfriend, even if it means hurting him, because when Orochimaru-sama is around him he isn't himself. You have to free him before Orochimaru-sama goes overboard and kills him."

Gaara nodded. "I'll save him… I have to…"

The boy nodded in return, a sad smile crossing his face.

"Thank you," Gaara said. The boy just smiled a soft smile and faded away into nothing. Gaara's eyes went wide and he was certain that he was either dead now or hallucinating… but he felt just as good as he did when he had come into the house… Stranger things had never happened.

* * *

Temari checked the dashboard clock once again, as if checking it every few seconds would make the minutes tick any faster.

"Give him time Temari… it's only been five minutes," Kankuro said almost calmly. Temari turned to her brother.

"I know… but…" she started but Kankuro help a hand up.

"I know," he replied, putting the hand on his sister's shoulder.

* * *

Gaara trudged up the stairs, determined to get out of this creepy house as soon as possible. First it was five goons, and then a ghost. Gaara was pretty sure that most to all of his sanity would be lost in this final leg of his journey, especially after what he had just seen. Gaara would now believe in ghosts, and in miracles, that was for certain. 

So up the stairs he climbed, hammer held tightly in one hand and pipe held tightly in the other. He was prepared for anything. With fear, and desperation on his side, how could he fail?

Something smashed into Gaara's back, causing him to crash forward as he reached the top of the stairs, crying out in surprise and pain. Pieces of wood rained around him and Gaara dimly noted that a chair had been broken on his back. Blinking clouded eyes, Gaara barely rolled out of the way of a kick sent to his stomach. Staggering to his feet, Gaara got to his feet just in time to meet his opponents fist with his jaw, sending Gaara crashing into a wall. Sliding down the wall, Gaara seemed to blank out on all pain. He was floating, and suddenly everything was crystal clear to him. His vision cleared, and he could see his opponent preparing to kick him. The moment was past. His vision may have remained clear, but that was all Gaara could say as pain cam crashing back to him as he dove out of the way of the kick once again. Curses filtered into Gaara's pain clouded mind and he vaguely noticed that it was his attacker cursing that he had kicked the wall. Gaara took his chance, knowing there wouldn't be another one.

Dashing at his four-eyed opponent, Gaara drew back a fist and hit the other man square on the jaw, sending him flying. Gaara straightened up as his opponent hit the floor, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. Satisfied that the man wouldn't get up any time soon, Gaara turned his back to him and began the search for his trusty weapons. Something crashed into his back again, and Gaara realized it was the man the second arms wrapped themselves around his waist. Both males tumbled to the ground, Gaara's ribs getting a good jar, and he could feel his wound start to bleed again. Gaara groaned and tried to free himself, squirming and rolling around. The other man staid on him and they rolled across the floor. Pieces of wood, glass, and other things were digging into their skin and they didn't care.

Gaara's head hit the banister. He looked to his right and there were the stairs. One wrong move and he would be sent tumbling down them, and ending up with a broken neck. The man above him smiled sickeningly, making Gaara's stomach turn and roll.

"This is where you meet your end," the man above him threatened. Gaara felt himself being tilted and his body started to slowly slip towards the stairs. Panicking, Gaara put all of his strength into one last effort, and bucked his hips forward, successfully pushing his attacker off and inadvertently down the stairs. A sickening pop was heard and Gaara didn't look down as he pulled himself up, not wanting to see the man down there most likely having a concussion and broken neck at the least.

Crawling forward a bit, Gaara rested on the floor for a moment, truly thinking about what he was doing. He would be going to prison this time for sure. There was no way out of it, he had beaten up five lackeys and probably killed one side-kick, and he hadn't even reached the big boss yet. There was no way Gaara was getting off the hook for this one. It would be a lifetime in prison. A lifetime in prison would be worth it to just save Sasuke. Anything for Sasuke.

Gaara pulled himself to his feet, tottering unsteadily. Staggering to the wall, Gaara used it as support as he made his way down to the room at the far end of the hallway, the one with the door partially open. Gaara made it down there finally and threw the door open.

* * *

"One minute," Temari said, starting her mental countdown to zero from sixty. Kankuro nodded to her left. "Do you think he's alright?"

Kankuro turned to his sister once again. "I don't know… I'm sure there were a lot of people in there that he would have had to beat up… he's probably injured."

Temari elbowed her brother. "Don't say that!"

Kankuro muttered to himself about being realistic.

* * *

Gaara could only stare in horror at the scene that met his eyes upon opening the door. He wanted so desperately to turn away, to close his eyes and when he would open them again have it be gone, but Gaara knew that it wouldn't go away. What was before him was the truth. What was before him was the true madness of the man known as Orochimaru.

Tied to the wall by shackles and chains were Itachi and Sasuke, both looking the worse for wear. Itachi was covered in blood, bruises and marks that even Shukaku had a hard time identifying. His entire body was limp and bare, revealing every little scar that adorned his pale flesh. Itachi's legs were covered in a mixture of dried blood, semen and a fluid that could only be described as "cottage cheese" like. Gaara's stomach retched at the sight and the red head and to fight to keep any food he had eaten that day from coming back up.

Sasuke… Sasuke wasn't much better off, though Gaara could see no "cottage cheese" substance on his legs. But even without the "cottage cheese," Sasuke was still covering in blood and semen and something that smelled like bile. His arms were torn, skin barely hanging on to muscle on some parts, and totally missing in others. The raven haired boy's chest was covered in bruises and scrapes with the occasional cut thrown into the mix. Gaara couldn't bring himself to look at his legs. Sasuke was also hanging lifelessly from the wall, just like his brother, though Gaara knew they were alive from their shallow breathing.

"I hope you're prepared for your fate boy," a slimy voice spoke from behind Gaara, causing the boy to freeze. Sasuke's head lolled and black eyes stared uncomprehendingly at the red haired angel standing in this hell hole.

"I warned you…" the man behind Gaara said, causing the red head to flinch. "I hope that you're content with the way your life was lived, because it's going to end shortly."


	31. Broken

**Disclaimer:** No own Naruto

**If:** Holy crap... I've been trying to upload this for a while and yet I kept getting errors. Yeesh.Sorry for the wait. (OMG 300 reviews!) Now, I would like to stress something for this chapter:** disturbing content**. Let's just say that. Please heed my warning on this one. I mean it. I, the authoress, even feel a little nauscious after this one.

**Warning: Disturbing content! **Violence, blood, gore (ish), rape. **I'm seriously warning you people.**

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3nv : Holy cow, that is such high praise. Honestly I don't think I deserve it... but thank you so much. I'm happy that you think this is so great and enjoy it. Thanks much 

blackflame180 : Heh... I guess it was a bit evil to leave it off there... and actually that last chapter was longer than its two predicessors, believe it or not.

Sakunari and Sasuke : I'm glad you like my story so much! If you want I can send you little emails telling you when I've posted new chapters.

gaara luvv () : Waahh... well sorry its not GaaHina (that pairing just doesn't make any sense to me...) Wow... thanks so much for all the kind words. In terms of time, this sucker has probably eaten... 77 hours or so of my life... give or take. But anyways, thanks so much for the nice review!

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Gaara crashed into a wall, his head banging against it painfully, making him see stars. He hadn't expected this. He hadn't expected finding Sasuke only to be attacked from behind by the man who had abducted him. It was cowardly to attack from behind, but Gaara knew that this man would do anything, go to any lengths to keep what he wanted. Gaara was an obstacle that needed to be removed.

Gaara screamed as a fist connected with his knife wound. Orochimaru's face was split into a horrid, twisted grin, and he licked his lips as he punched Gaara in the same spot once again. Gaara's voice cracked halfway through his pitiful scream. Orochimaru grabbed the red head by the hair and yanked him away from the wall before smashing it back against the wall. Gaara's vision swam and he knew he couldn't take much more abuse. The knife would was bleeding freely, he was battered and bruised, and at this rate he would either pass out from blood loss or a concussion. He couldn't save him.

Orochimaru let go of the battered boy and Gaara's body fell limply to the ground. Grinning for all that he was worth, Orochimaru kicked the body a few times, just to make sure. It seemed that that was all it took for the dazed younger Uchiha to snap out of his haze. Sasuke's voice echoed through the house, his cry of pure anguish carrying all the way out to the car that Temari and Kankuro were in.

"Shit…" Kankuro mumbled. "That didn't sound good at all."

Temari wasn't paying him any attention, her gaze locked on the dashboard clock. The time changed.

"Let's go," she said, throwing her door open. Kankuro grabbed her arm.

"Wait Temari… we should call the police," Kankuro said, his sister twitched.

"You should have done that earlier," she growled, trying to free her arm from her brother's grip.

"Just give me a second to call them Temari, and then you can go all crazy gung-ho bitch on me," Kankuro tried to reason with his sister. Temari just ignored him and kept struggling. Kankuro grit his teeth, keeping his grip firm and using his other hand to pull out his cell phone and call 911. Temari bit Kankuro, who cursed.

"Shit Temari! Just wait!" he yelled and the dispatcher picked up.

"911, what seems to be the problem?" the dispatcher said. Temari broke free of her brother and tried to get out of the car, only to have her seat belt stop her.

"Yeah, my name is Kankuro Sabaku, there's some really nasty shit going on over here," Kankuro said, giving the dispatcher the address as Temari unbuckled herself. "I think that there's a whole lot more than rape going on here…"

"I'll send the police right away," the dispatcher said. Kankuro thanked her quickly and hung up to chase after his sister, who was striding down the sidewalk to the house unarmed. Kankuro unbuckled and dashed out the door and to Temari.

"They'll be here soon…" Kankuro said, grabbing Temari's arm again. Temari turned to her brother, glaring something evil even though tears were cascading down her face.

"Soon isn't good enough," she said. Kankuro's grip slackened and Temari turned back around to enter the house. After a few seconds deliberation, Kankuro followed.

* * *

Sasuke felt violated, he felt hurt, he felt a million different things, but none of that mattered. Nothing mattered. How could anything matter when Gaara was lying in a bloody heap on the floor? The only thing that Sasuke suddenly felt was his heart stop cold in his chest. Orochimaru was bending over, hunting knife in hand preparing to finish the job.

"Leave him alone!" Sasuke screamed, once again finding his voice. Orochimaru's golden cat eyes turned to him slowly. Sasuke's blood turned to ice, but he staid calm and collected.

"Oh? And what are you going to do if I don't?" Orochimaru asked slowly. Sasuke clenched his jaw. Orochimaru smirked at him, running the blade along Gaara's jaw with just enough pressure to draw blood. "That's what I though Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke grit his teeth. "I'll do anything… just leave him alone!"

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow at Sasuke. It was a rather strange thing for his little pet to plead for something. He should know better by now. Never plead for anything. Orochimaru had thought that he had taught that to his little Sasuke-kun already. Ah well, he would just have to re-learn the hard way.

"Ah but Sasuke-kun, all I want you to do is suffer," Orochimaru said, his voice slimy and dripping with venom. Sasuke's heart stopped and he couldn't breath.

"I had thought I taught you already that you shouldn't plead for things, that only makes me want to take them away from you," Orochimaru explained. He pocketed his knife and grabbed hold of one of Gaara's arms, proceeding to drag his unmoving body across the floor. Sasuke's eyes went wide as he got a better look at the red head.

He had never seen Gaara this bad, even after that incident the first day he had met the red head. At least that time Gaara had looked somewhat alive. Now… now Gaara looked as if he had been used as a punching bag. He was covered in bruises and was covered in blood. Sasuke could tell that that one knife wound could be the death of his precious Gaara. Too much more time and the red head wouldn't make it.

Orochimaru laid Gaara on his back. He stood over the body and just looked at it for a moment. A sadistic grin covered his face, and his eyes flickered over to Sasuke, his grin spreading. Sasuke could feel his breathing speed up, his heart was racing, his chest was constricting. Sasuke was starting to hyperventilate.

"I think the best thing to do in this situation is to take advantage of this nice looking body before his breathing stops and he becomes cold," Orochimaru said. Sasuke struggled against his bonds. He had to get free. He had to stop him. He had to get Gaara out of here. He had to save Gaara. He had to give the red head happiness. Gaara didn't know happiness, he hadn't ever known happiness. It was Sasuke's duty to protect this fragile being and give him anything he could ever possibly want. Sasuke was supposed to be his savior. Sasuke was supposed to make the world right. He had to stop him!

Orochimaru bent down and began to undress the body beneath him.

* * *

Temari and Kankuro had discovered the kitchen. Temari's eyes went wide and she clutched onto her brother, who wrapped his arms around his sister protectively. The big man was still conscious and he was writhing in pain, his voice long gone, clutching at his shattered knee. One of the man's arms was bleeding profusely and bone stuck out from his flesh. The woman's body was unmoving, lying still on the floor, a puddle of blood forming beneath her head, but she was still breathing. The second man was lying limply on the ground, his neck at an unnatural angle. Kankuro winced and turned away. That man would never be able to move his body again…

"Can we leave now?" Temari whispered, her voice not working very well. Kankuro nodded wordlessly and they maneuvered through the kitchen into the dining room.

The dining room held two bodies. Kankuro left Temari clinging to the doorframe and went to look at them. The first body was slumped against a wall, his mouth was bleeding, and he looked banged up, but it seemed that was the extent of his injuries. The second boy was wailing in pain, clutching his knee in much the same way as the big man had. Kankuro felt sorry for him, his leg was now useless. Kankuro turned back to Temari.

"Looks like Gaara went nuts…" he mumbled. Temari nodded at her brother's statement. Both their heads shot up at the sudden sound of sirens. Temari and Kankuro rushed back the way they came, running for the front door.

* * *

Sasuke was sobbing. He couldn't scream anymore, his voice long gone, but his eyes were far from dry. Orochimaru had stripped his precious Gaara, his beautiful angel, and had spread his legs. Sasuke was barely managing to breath and he was still struggling vainly against his bonds, hoping, praying that he could get free. Anything… he would give anything to save his dear Gaara.

Orochimaru was loving every minute, every moment of Sasuke's pain. He couldn't stop smirking; he couldn't keep the bounce out of his step. There was nothing more pleasurable then finding a toy, training it, and if it disobeyed you, totally and utterly breaking that toy as retribution. Orochimaru was enjoying destroying this toy. His Sasuke-kun would never recover from this little encounter, and from the looks of it, his beloved little Gaara wouldn't make it ten more minutes at the most, and that was being generous. He had better hurry up then, wouldn't want to become one of those necrophiliacs or something.

Orochimaru quickly divested himself of his clothes. Now for the tough question: lube, or no lube? That was certainly a hard question to answer. The boy would probably be dead soon, so why should it matter? But on the other hand, penetration with no lube was just too… rough for his liking. He might as well at least lube himself. This was only for his own enjoyment and sadistic pleasure after all. Its not like the boy would ever know, or feel it. He was practically comatose. So Orochimaru dug around in his pants pocket for his trusty tube of lube. He never heard the sirens or saw the flashing lights.

Sasuke on the other hand did see and hear the signs of his saviors. He was praying to any God that might exist to please make them hurry. Please oh God just this once. I'll do anything, just please let them save him. Please…

Orochimaru slicked himself up. Sasuke's eyes were instantly back on the snake-like man. Sasuke found his voice and screamed. Orochimaru turned to smirk at him. Grabbing Gaara's legs, the pedophile positioned himself, liking his lips in anticipation. Sasuke screamed again, louder this time. His thrashing increased, which woke up his brother, shackled to the wall beside him. Itachi only blinked at his brother before seeing what Orochimaru was about to do. He knew that the snake man was only waiting to prolong Sasuke's torment. Itachi joined his brother in his thrashing, hoping to distract Orochimaru just enough.

Orochimaru's smirk only grew at Itachi's sudden waking and consecutive thrashing. Oh this would be worth it. Anything would be worth this: this feeling of totally and utter control, of power, knowing that he had been the one to utterly break his dear little Sasuke-kun. Orochimaru made sure that he was looking directly into Sasuke's eyes, and his hips pushed forward. Sasuke screamed, tears cascading down his face, struggling against steel to get free. Orochimaru only stopped when he could go no farther. Sasuke was sobbing uncontrollably, in hysterics.

The door broke down and the police were instantly everywhere.


	32. 偽の現実

**Disclaimer:** not mine

**If:** Man, I've slowed down... this time all I can say is that I didn't know what I wanted to do... But anyway, this is the new chapter. I hope you like it.

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Ferocity wins teh game: Waahhh... wow. Thank you for the review, I hope that you like this chapter and that I updated fast enough for you.

lol : Yup, Gaara raped. Thanks for the review.

DeathByPapercuts: Welcome back! Thank you for the nice review!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Wow... its alright. Hey, I understand about the acutally getting out and away from the computer, its part of the reason I've been a little slow as of late. Thanks so much for the review, I'll have to keep some of those suggestions in mind.

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Two weeks, three days, eight hours, thirty four minutes, and twenty seconds later, Sasuke was nervously standing outside of a hospital room. He had finally been able to stand up on his own and been allowed to go see his beloved Gaara. His precious angel had barely survived this brush with death. Sasuke was so grateful, so thankful, and so eternally happy that his beloved had made it through that horrible experience. Gaara had almost not made it. He had lost nearly too much blood by the time the police arrived and the paramedics rushed him away. They had said it would be a miracle if he survived. He had survived.

Sasuke himself had been barely coping with the fact that that man had dared to taint his Gaara. His own recovery had gone smoothly, he had gone through the motions, he had talked to the therapists, and he had taken the drugs. All that he did was unessential, all that mattered was Gaara, and no one was telling him anything. Sasuke had gone two weeks without hearing anything about the red head. By the time Itachi had come three days ago to tell the younger Uchiha that Gaara was doing alright, Sasuke was planning his daring escape.

Sasuke had to admit that for once in his life his brother had been useful. Once. He had visited and the first thing he had said was "Gaara's fine Sasuke." Sasuke had nearly broken down. It had been too long without hearing anything, he was far too unstrung, and he was barely coping mentally with the fact that Orochimaru had indeed raped his precious angel.

So now Sasuke stood outside the door of the one person he had never wanted to fail, and yet had horribly and miserably failed the one time he should have saved him. He couldn't bring himself to open the door. He couldn't walk in there and confront the rejection, the pain, the anger… Sasuke wouldn't be able to handle Gaara's rejection. Sasuke wouldn't survive the red head telling him that he didn't want him. He had already lost Gaara once, and he wasn't losing him again. He couldn't lose Gaara again.

Hesitantly, Sasuke reached out and put his hand on the doorknob. Hearing some faint murmuring, Sasuke placed his ear on the door. There were people talking in there. Sasuke frowned at his own obvious statement. Of course there were people talking in there, Gaara's family was probably in there talking to him. Sasuke cringed. Maybe he should just come back later, so he wouldn't have to deal with them. Sasuke had taken his hand off the doorknob when the door swung open, revealing Kankuro in Kabuki makeup. Sasuke stopped breathing for a moment.

Kankuro narrowed his eyes at the clearly scared boy in front of him. He had actually just been sent to fetch said boy, but Kankuro decided that he would use this opportunity to "talk" to him. Stepping out of the door, forcing Sasuke to step back, Kankuro shut the door quietly behind himself. Stepping around the Uchiha, Kankuro motioned for the stunned boy to follow him. Sasuke meekly did as he was told. Kankuro inwardly grinned to himself; this was so making his day so much better. There was nothing better than a cowering Uchiha. Kankuro frowned at that. He had met Itachi Uchiha earlier that week… he was… different.

Kankuro sat down on a bench about twenty feet away from the room that Gaara was in; he motioned for Sasuke to sit beside him. Sasuke gulped and did as he was told. Kankuro turned to the younger Uchiha and gave him a stern look. Sasuke instantly felt impending doom and mentally prepared himself for the worst, unconsciously squeezing his eyes shut tight. Kankuro muffled a chuckle at the sight before his face relaxed and he stared almost pensively across the hallway.

"You know… you've really done a number on him," Kankuro stated suddenly. Sasuke's eyes snapped open and he looked at the brother of his most precious person, stunned by his words. Kankuro glanced at the Uchiha and cracked up.

Finally settling down, Kankuro wiped at his eyes. "That reaction was priceless."

Sasuke pouted. Kankuro smirked.

"I can see why my brother chose you," he said suddenly, his smile fading minimally. Kankuro shook his head. Sasuke frowned.

"Heh… actually, I can't," Kankuro said, turning to look at Sasuke. Sasuke felt the urge to squirm under the intense look he was receiving. "I can't see why he would want you. No offense meant, but what's so special about you?"

Sasuke didn't say anything; Kankuro wasn't really speaking to him anyway.

"To just blindly start feeling something so strong after such a short amount of time is incomprehensible to me. It takes time for those sorts of feelings to develop. You need to learn everything about each other; you need to be constantly with one another… there's so much that is involved in strong feelings. These feelings that my brother believes he is feeling can't be right. They can't be true. There hasn't been enough time for this to develop, and yet you're both sacrificing yourselves for one another. It just doesn't make sense to me!" Kankuro ranted. Sasuke felt a small amount of pity for him.

"I know it doesn't make sense, but feelings never make sense," Sasuke said. He turned away from Kankuro and folded his hands in his lap, leaning back on the bench. "I admit that in the beginning I only wanted your brother. But all feelings of attraction generally start with lust. But… there was something about him. Some unexplainable force drew me to him, and when Naruto and I found him in a pool of his own blood on your front porch, nearly dead because of his own _father_… I began to feel more.

"Maybe these feelings are too much, too quickly, too fast… but they are true. I honestly love Gaara because of who he is, what he's been through, and for the generally wonderful person he is that's been pushed so far under the surface that he hardly shows up," Sasuke confessed. Kankuro looked sadly at the boy sitting next to him and placed a hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

"Those that fall fast and hard often get hurt quickly. To love someone so quickly, to fall so fast, to be drawn so deep… those who love as passionately and as quickly as you two have done are always hurt in the end. Those who fall fast will fall hard, and they will be hurt and suffer just as quick. Its practically a law of nature. Fall too fast and you will be hurt. You will be hurt so much that you won't be able to recover," Kankuro said. Sasuke felt cold. Those words hung in the air, suffocating him, and suddenly Sasuke thought that this all wasn't real.

A hand waved in front of Sasuke's face and he snapped out of his trance-like state. Sasuke blinked at Kankuro.

"You ok? You kind of zoned out after your little speech," Gaara's brother said. Sasuke opened his mouth to argue, but found he didn't know why he would want to make a retort to that statement. It wasn't as if Kankuro had said anything after his little confession.

Kankuro stood up and held out a hand to the youngest Uchiha. "Come on, Gaara's anxious to see you."

Sasuke smiled softly and accepted the hand. Kankuro pulled him to his feet and together they went back to Gaara's room, all of Sasuke's fears alleviated.

* * *

Sasuke could only stare at the pale red head sitting in the hospital bed for a moment, his mind entirely blank. The only thing that Sasuke knew was that he was so happy that Gaara was alive and well. The overwhelming urge to see if the red head was actually real overpowered him and he rushed forward and pulled Gaara into a hug, forgetting that the red head was still recovering from some of his wounds. Gaara cried out as he was practically tackled and pushed at the near-hysteric boy clinging to him.

"Sasuke! Get off! You're hurting me!" Gaara exclaimed, trying to shove Sasuke off of him. Sasuke nuzzled into Gaara's neck.

"I can't let you go," he whispered, kissing Gaara's neck. Gaara's face flushed an interesting shade of red and both his siblings laughed at his plight.

"Fine! Don't let me go, but you're killing me here!" Gaara exclaimed. Sasuke instantly got off the red head, looking bashful.

"Sorry," he murmured. Gaara looked at him softly and lifted a hand to brush against Sasuke's cheek affectionately.

"Its alright Sasuke, I understand," Gaara said. Sasuke smiled softly at him. Both of Gaara's siblings took this moment to sneak out of the room and give the two boys some private time.

"Sasuke I…" Gaara started but Sasuke cut him off.

"I'm sorry I could not save you," Sasuke said before Gaara could utter the same words. Tears fell from Sasuke's eyes unheeded. "I should have saved you from him."

"Its me who should have saved you," Gaara said cupping Sasuke's cheek with his hand. "I should have never left you for Naruto. By leaving you I offered you back up to that lecher and he pounced at the chance. I should have been able to save you from his clutches."

Sasuke leaned into Gaara's hand. Gaara leant forward and kissed away Sasuke's tears.

"I should have known better, the safe way out is not the path to take in life. Even if the true path to happiness holds many threats and is dangerous beyond belief, it is the path that we should take, not the path that is well trodden. The path that brings you greater joy is the one to travel, even if it takes your life," Gaara said. Sasuke once again got the feeling that those words were eerily true. Sasuke shuddered and he could almost swear he was back in that room with Orochimaru, but then Gaara was kissing him, and he was safe and protected and loved.

* * *

High school: the source of teenage angst, and many horrible teen movies. In this place, the bane of the teenage existence, life is cliché and stereotypical. Cliques are alive and well, people are close minded and for some reason, unknown to man, everyone wants to be in the so called "popular" group. As the stereotype goes, these "popular" people aren't the brightest lights and are the captains of football teams and cheerleading squads. Why anyone would want to be part of that stereotype is beyond comprehension.

Class has a double meaning in reference to school. One meaning is the classes you go to: math, English, history, and etc. The other meaning is in reference to your social status. You can belong to one of two broad groups: popular or unpopular. These groups are divided into smaller groups: preps, jocks, goths, nerds, and many others. Class is an important yet unimportant part of high school.

Some people are oblivious to these clear boundaries, and others just cleverly ignore them. Sasuke finds that these days, these days filled with happiness and Gaara, that these boundaries, that "class" and "high school" don't matter as much as they used to. The only thing that matters to Sasuke is that he has his most precious person around and that that precious person values him and loves him as much as he is loved himself.

But something seems wrong with this life of near perfection. Something is missing and something is not quite right. Sasuke doesn't want to think about it. He wants to live in this world where he is finally happy, and where his beloved angel is happy as well. Sasuke desperately wants this world to be real, and that is when it hits him:

**this world isn't real.**

The illusion is fading. The world he thought was real is fading before his eyes. The scenery ebbs and the people start to vanish one by one. Sasuke whirls around, watching as this perfect world grows fainter before him. He turns to his beloved Gaara, his most precious angel, and he clings to him, wanting him to never leave.

"Don't leave me! I don't want to go back to that reality if it means losing him!" Sasuke shouts as his imaginary Gaara fades away into nothing.

And then suddenly he's back there. He's still chained to that wall; he's still in the clutches in the man he hates the most. Sasuke doesn't want to, but he knows that he must, he looks to the floor. There his worst fears are confirmed. Gaara's lifeless body is on the floor, Orochimaru standing up and looking decidedly pleased with himself. Gaara has been raped, and the fact is clearly visible from the evidence leaking from his body.There are no police cars, there is no ambulance, and there is no hope.

It has only been nine minutes since Gaara had entered the building.


	33. Shattered Glass

**Disclaimer:** Heh, it would be a bad thing if I owned Naruto...

**If:** Hoo waahhh... wow, what a response to last chapter. It was awesome! Is it bad that I loved that reaction? Seems there was a might of confusion though. If the confusion isn't cleared up in this chapter, let me know and I'll be happy to try and explain! But yesh. Some of you noticed that that last chapter was rushed and there were hints through it that it wasn't real and such. Totally. Now onto the ANGST!

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Ferocity wins teh game: Waahhh... I'm so happy you noticed! Yesh, last chapter was purposefully rushed. It was supposed to give the reader a sense of something wrong like "Hey, wait a minute, she doesn't usually write this way..." or something. Plus there's all those other little hints and things. Man, I'm glad you liked that chapter, it was awesome to write! He he he... I'd probably kill people if I did that all the time, but it was so much fun! ... But anyway, thanks so much for the nice words and review!

* * *

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Sasuke screamed. His mind was reeling, pulling him away from reality, trying to bury his conscious self. Sasuke's mind couldn't handle this. Gaara was almost dead, and raped on the floor. He himself was chained to a wall, unable to do a thing, and the man that he hated the most in the world was smirking at him as if he had just won the lottery. Sasuke screamed and screamed. If this kept up then he would go insane, if he wasn't already.

Orochimaru kept his smirk firmly in place. He pulled up his pants and stepped over to the screaming, thrashing, broken younger Uchiha. Reaching out, he grabbed Sasuke's chin and held his head still. The younger Uchiha's eyes were racing all over the place and his body was out of his control, thrashing and kicking and straining to be free. Orochimaru leaned in close to Sasuke's face.

"You know Sasuke-kun," he started, catching the younger Uchiha's attention. "You really missed out on him. He tasted and felt wonderful."

Sasuke screamed and thrashed harder, he wanted to just tear Orochimaru to bits. The snake man only smirked at him.

"That's right Sasuke-kun," he purred gaining an unhealthy amount of pleasure from tearing Sasuke apart mentally. "He was wonderful. The only thing that I regret is that he isn't really alive to _enjoy_ it as well. He would have made a good pet himself. Yes, I can imagine it. That fiery spirit straining underneath me until he broke… it would have been delicious. That friction that I got from his cold body, I can only imagine how sweet and hot and tight it would have been while he was straining beneath me."

"STOP IT!" Sasuke screamed. "STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!"

Orochimaru laughed. Itachi was staring wide-eyed at his little brother as he broke before his very eyes.

"Oh but Sasuke-kun, I don't want to stop. I might even be able to fit in another session with this good looking soon to be corpse before he expires," Orochimaru said, turning his head away from Sasuke to look Gaara over and lick his lips. "I think I might not even mind taking him once he is dead…"

"STOP! Leave him alone!" Sasuke screeched. He pulled his head back and out of Orochimaru's grasp. Orochimaru turned to look back at him, his eyes narrowing. Sasuke brought his head forward and head-butted the man who was torturing him. He put all of his force behind the head-butt and managed to knock Orochimaru out.

Itachi stared at his little brother. Sasuke was panting, and crying and laughing all at the same time. Itachi was sure he had lost his mind, but what could _he_ do about it? Sasuke never listened to him, let alone liked him. There was nothing he could say to try and bring his brother back, but he couldn't just let him slip away into insanity.

"Sasuke…" Itachi croaked out, wincing at how horrible his voice sounded. Sasuke didn't seem to hear him.

"I imagined it all…" Sasuke was murmuring, his eyes wide and blank. Itachi winced. "I imagined them coming for him… they're imaginary, there's no one coming to save him…"

Itachi grit his teeth. Sasuke laughed, insanity lacing his voice.

"He had said that no one cared about a monster like him… but I care! Don't I count? Why can't someone save him? What's so wrong with saving him? Is he truly a monster? Why can't what I imagine be real? He didn't deserve this! He was an angel! He was perfect!" Sasuke yelled. His eyes were now firmly glued on the unmoving form of the person he loved. "GOD DAMNIT!"

"SASUKE!" Itachi shouted. Sasuke turned startled eyes to him. "He's not dead yet. There's still time."

Sasuke stared at his brother before laughing maniacally. Itachi hung his head.

* * *

Temari was regretting her decision to wait and listen to her brother's wishes the second she heard more screaming. She couldn't take this. She had to go in there and get her precious Gaara!

"The police are on their way," Kankuro said, startling Temari.

"Fine, good, let's go," Temari said, unbuckling and getting out of the car.

"Wait! Temari they said to stay where we are and…" Kankuro protested. Temari glared at her brother, effectively silencing him.

"I don't care what they said! My... **our** little _brother_ is in there right now! He might be dead! I can't sit around here anymore waiting for the _police_ to come only to find out that they came too late!" Temari shouted. Kankuro was silent. "If you want to wait here then fine! Do what you want to do! I for one am going in there and bringing my brother back!"

Temari stomped off to the house. Kankuro sat in the car, stunned, until he realized that she was right. Hastily unbuckling himself, he threw open the car door and dashed to his sister.

"You're right," was all he said. Temari nodded at him and together they entered the house.

The first thing Kankuro noticed was that the place was totally trashed, followed by the realization that there were people screaming in pain. Both siblings turned to each other.

"It doesn't matter who's making all the noise unless it's Gaara," Temari said. Kankuro nodded. "We're ignoring anyone who isn't Gaara."

"Got it," Kankuro replied. Temari grinned and brandished her monkey wrench. Kankuro sighed and brandished his own pipe.

"Let's do this," Temari said, starting to hear the sirens in the distance. Kankuro nodded and followed his sister's example of ignoring the sirens.

Together the siblings maneuvered through the kitchen and dining room and making their way to the stairs. The door to the second floor was jammed shut. Kankuro handed Temari his pipe and yanked on the door handle. After several violent shakes, Kankuro finally got the door to budge inward. Kankuro scowled.

"There's something blocking the other side," he said to Temari. Temari shoved her wrench in his face.

"Use this to get the screws out of the other side," she said. "And hurry, the police are getting closer."

Kankuro nodded and proceeded to try and unhinge the door.

* * *

Sasuke's laughter hadn't stopped and Itachi was starting to get annoyed by it.

"God Damnit Sasuke! Talk to him! He's not dead and I'm sure if you convince him to, he'll cling to his life and you'll be able to live together and do anything you had been planning on doing!" Itachi yelled. Sasuke stopped laughing and blinked at his brother, remnants of his sanity coming back.

"Really?" he asked meekly. Itachi nodded fervently.

"If he loves you as much as he acts, or you seem to think, then he'll cling to life if you tell him too!" Itachi yelled, seeming almost frantic. Sasuke seemed to think about it for a moment. He turned back to look at Gaara's body, his already shallow breathing was slowing down and becoming sporadic. Sasuke felt that overwhelming panic in his chest again.

"Gaara!" he shouted. "Hang on Gaara! You have to hang on! You have to live! I can't live without you Gaara! You need to hang on! Don't leave me! I don't want to be in a world that you're not in with me!

"I promise you I'll never do anything stupid! I'll stay with you forever! Just you and me! Nothing will come between us! That incident with Naruto is all in the past! I don't care about that! I won't ever care about that! I'll forgive you and I'll forget it ever happened! Just stay with me! That's all you have to do! All you need to do is hang on until an ambulance comes! Just stay alive!"

Itachi's heart went out to his brother. He so desperately wanted his brother to be happy, to find his happiness with this red haired boy he so obviously loved. And Gaara deserved all the happiness in the world, from what little he'd heard from his siblings, since Sasuke wouldn't tell him anything. These two boys… their lives had already been so hard and they were still so young.

"You have to stay with me!" Sasuke was still shouting. "I need you Gaara! I'll give you anything, everything! We can live together in some small place and grow vegetables. We could get an apartment in the city and go out to eat every night! I'll give you anything you've ever dreamed about! Any fantasy you've had I'll cater to! Any desire, any dream, anything!

"I'll give up my future, I'll give up my own flesh and blood, just don't leave my side! How could I live in a world where the one person I've ever truly loved is dead? How could I deal with every day? How could I deal with the fact that I was unable to save the one person that meant anything to me? I can't live without you! I don't want to live without you! So please just hang on! Hang on!"

The sirens were blaring and the lights from the police cars and ambulance were flashing through the window. Sasuke was diverted for a moment, but was quickly back to pleading for Gaara to stay alive, and with him.

Orochimaru was waking up, and only Itachi was noticing. He couldn't let this man escape the law, but there was nothing he could do to keep him here. Orochimaru took one look at Sasuke and the body of Gaara before snorting. He caught Itachi's cold glare.

"It looks like my work here is done," Orochimaru said, smirk firmly in place. Itachi thrashed against the wall, trying to break free. Orochimaru scoffed at him and headed towards the door. He opened it and was met with two extremely pissed off Sabaku siblings.

"My my Kankuro, look what we found here," Temari said, swinging her monkey wrench around. Kankuro sneered.

"Indeed Temari, seems we've found the source of all this," Kankuro replied clapping his pipe against the palm of his hand. Orochimaru backed up into the room. Itachi watched the scene unfolding before him anxiously.

Temari glanced around the room and saw the state her baby brother was in and then caught Sasuke screaming at him to hold on. Temari's hands shook and in her anger she slammed the wrench against Orochimaru. Orochimaru's eyes went wide and he coughed up blood at the impact to his stomach.

"What the fuck did you do to my brother and his boyfriend you bastard!" she shouted. Kankuro raced away from the angry Temari and the suddenly scared Orochimaru over to his brother. Kankuro cursed colorfully.

"Shit! He's barely breathing Temari!" he shouted over the din of noise. The police had found the stairway to the second floor. Orochimaru tried to get away but Temari punched him in the face, sending him flying backwards.

"You son of a bitch!" she yelled. "I could kill you!"

The police rushed into the room. Two officers restrained Temari and another one was already cuffing Orochimaru and reading him his rights. There were officers freeing the Uchiha brothers and one officer rushed from the room yelling for a stretcher. Sasuke immediately ran to Gaara's side, fresh tears running down his face. He clasped one of Gaara's hands in his.

"Don't leave me…"


	34. Join Me

Sasuke and Itachi were rushed off to the hospital well after the ambulance with Gaara departed. The police were asking them questions about what had happened. Itachi ended up answering almost all of them. Sasuke was just staring at the floor where Gaara's cold body had one lain. Gaara had to be ok. He had to be. Sasuke couldn't live without him. How could he live without him?

The police ushered him into the ambulance.

The ride was quick and Sasuke's head was filled with thoughts of his beloved. He would make everything alright. Everything would be perfect, just like his dream. They'd live together in the suburbs and have 1.5 kids, even though there was no way for them to have kids. They'd have a dog, a beagle. Every day Sasuke would come back from work to see his precious angel playing with the children in the yard with the dog. He'd smile happily and wait for his beloved to notice him. When he did he'd hug him and kiss him and the world would be right. Everything was going to be fine. Everything was going to be perfect.

The doctors quickly had Sasuke and Itachi rushed into separate rooms. Test upon test was conducted, drugs were administered, and wounds were disinfected and bandaged. Sasuke felt numb to it all. Whatever happened to him didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was Gaara. If Gaara lived it would all be right. Gaara would live. There was no doubt behind Gaara surviving. Gaara had to live.

After the doctors were done the police and Sasuke's brother were back. Questions were asked and once again Itachi did the answering. Sasuke was anxious about Gaara. It had been at least two hours now; surely they would be coming and telling him that he would be just fine by now.

Soon the police were gone and the brothers were left alone in the hospital room. Sasuke turned to his brother. Itachi knew something he didn't. Itachi looked away from his brother.

"Itachi… what aren't you telling me?" Sasuke asked his voice scratchy and dull. Itachi flinched.

"Sasuke…"Itachi started and turned to his brother, tears standing in his eyes. Sasuke backed away from his brother, that horrible feeling in his chest causing his heart to throb painfully.

"I changed my mind, I don't want to hear it," Sasuke said quickly. Itachi just moved closer to his brother. Sasuke kept backing away, falling from the examination table in the process and backing into a wall.

"Sasuke, you have to hear this," Itachi said. Sasuke covered his ears and started to sing loudly and off-key. Itachi grit his teeth and grabbed his brother's arms pulling them away from Sasuke's ears.

"I said I don't want to hear it!" Sasuke shouted, flailing around and pulling out some stitches that had just been put in.

"Sasuke!" Itachi shouted, struggling against his brother. Sasuke started yelling again. Itachi dropped one of Sasuke's hands and slapped his brother hard. Sasuke could only stare at his brother, stunned into silence.

"Sasuke…" Itachi said. He reached out his hand to touch Sasuke's cheek, but his brother flinched away from him. Itachi hung his head. "I don't want to tell you this… but no one else will…"

Sasuke's heart started thudding loudly in his chest, almost drowning Itachi out.

"But Gaara… he…" Itachi felt the tears pouring from his eyes.

"No!" Sasuke shouted. He stood up suddenly. Itachi just looked up at his brother sadly. Sasuke's eyes were wild and darting everywhere.

"Sasuke… he," Itachi tried again.

"NO!" Sasuke screamed and dashed from the room.

"Sasuke!" Itachi shouted after him.

Sasuke rushed down the hallways. He had to find Gaara. His brother was a liar. Itachi couldn't be trusted. He could never be trusted. He had to find Gaara's siblings; they would know where Gaara was.

Sasuke ran down the halls, ignoring the shouts from the hospital staff. He ran to the emergency care section and looked around frantically for any sign of Temari and Kankuro, he found them sitting on a bench holding onto each other for dear life. Sasuke froze. It couldn't be… there was no way. Ignoring more shouts and the startled looks from the Sabaku siblings, Sasuke rushed into Gaara's room.

It was white. The walls were white. The chairs were white. The bed sheets pulled over a lifeless body were white. Sasuke searched the room for another bed. There had to be another bed. Maybe this was the wrong room. This had to be the wrong room. Gaara wasn't dead. He wasn't lying lifelessly under that antiseptic white sheet. Sasuke's eyes scanned the bed and his heart stopped as he spotted red hair. Sasuke stopped.

Nothing was in Sasuke's mind. His body moved of its own, not aware that his brain had stopped functioning. His had reached out, shaking violently, and grabbed the sheet. The sheet pulled back and there he was.

Too pale skin stood out against blood red hair. The tattoo for love stood out more than it should have. There were scratches on his face, and he looked too peaceful. Green eyes were shut and there was no rise and fall to that perfect chest, hidden beneath that white sheet Sasuke had come to hate.

"No…" Sasuke whispered, his legs giving out on him. He collapsed beside the bed, staring at that immovable face of his angel. His precious, lifeless angel.

"This is a joke… its not true… there's no way… everything was supposed to be right… he didn't deserve this…" Sasuke started to mumble. Temari and Kankuro looked on from the doorway, afraid of what the broken boy before them would do.

"IT'S NOT TRUE!" Sasuke suddenly screamed. "HE'S NOT DEAD!"

Scrambling to his feet, the younger Uchiha climbed onto the bed with the body of Gaara. Tears were falling from his face like a waterfall. Sasuke ran a hand along Gaara's cheek. Lip quivering, body shaking, Sasuke leaned down and kissed Gaara's lifeless body.

"Wake up…" Sasuke said as he pulled away. "This isn't funny Gaara… wake up…"

Temari started sobbing and Kankuro looked away from the scene unfolding before him.

"WAKE UP DAMNIT!" Sasuke screamed, shaking Gaara's shoulders. "WAKE UP!"

Nurses stormed the room and tried to pull Sasuke off of the lifeless body on the bed. Sasuke struggled and fought, biting kicking and screaming.

"Leave me alone! Let me go!" Sasuke shouted as the nurses managed to pull him off the bed.

"We need a tranquillizer!" one nurse shouted. A nurse rushed out of the room, past the grieving siblings and dashed away to get a tranquillizer.

"Let me go! Gaara!" Sasuke screeched, trying desperately to get back to his beloved. "Let me go! He needs me! I need him! GAARA!"

The nurse rushed back in with the tranquillizer. Two nurses held Sasuke's arm still and the one with the needle injected the tranquillizer. Sasuke kept struggling and managed to break free of the nurses' hold. He scrambled back onto the bed and wrapped his arms around Gaara's lifeless body.

"I won't leave you…" Sasuke mumbled as the tranquillizer kicked in and he fell asleep clutching onto the love of his life.

* * *

Sasuke was standing in the rain, just standing there letting the water pour down over his body. It had been two days and he still couldn't accept the fact that Gaara was gone. He saw the red head everywhere. He could swear he could see him.

The doctors were worried about his mental state and kept him doped up enough so that he couldn't do anything rash, but he had outsmarted them today. He had had his pills forced down his throat and while the doctors, Temari, Kankuro and Itachi were outside of the room, he had broken out. He had been working on his restraints since they had tied him down, and had managed to get out of them. It took him a little extra time to barricade the door and break the window. Luckily, he was only on the first floor so it wasn't a problem jumping from the window.

He had grabbed a piece of glass and began to run. It didn't matter where he went, so long as it was far away from the hospital and the people within it. Naruto had come the day after, and it hadn't been a pleasant encounter. The blond blamed Sasuke for everything, and Sasuke knew that it was all his fault. He knew that he was to blame for Gaara. Naruto had gotten violent and they had to call security to contain him. Sakura, who was with Naruto, only offered her condolences and silently followed the blond out.

Temari and Kankuro had taken it upon themselves to practically adopt Sasuke into the family. They kept saying that they were responsible for it and kept cursing a promise to wait ten minutes. The two of them single handedly kept every sharp instrument far away from the unstable Uchiha. They wanted to make sure Sasuke survived, unlike their brother. Sasuke was the only link they had to Gaara, and they wanted to keep him around and keep him safe, unlike the brother they had lost.

Itachi, for his part, was acting like the older brother he never was. He was the one who made the doctors tie Sasuke down, saying that he was unstable and would try to commit suicide. Itachi seemed to have acquired a sense of mortality and of how close he really was to losing his only family. He was always around Sasuke, talking to him and trying to comfort him. He would try to get the younger of the two to talk about the red head, but Sasuke wouldn't say a word. He hadn't said a word since he had found the body.

So now he stood in the rain, the glass clenched tightly in his hand. There was nothing in this world that was holding him here. He couldn't stay in this realm anymore. He couldn't live without him.

The rain couldn't wash away his sins, it couldn't wash away his thoughts of Gaara. All the rain could do was wash away his blood.

Sasuke brought the glass to his wrist and slit. He switched hands and slit the other as well.

Maybe if he died the pain would go away. If he died he might get to see his angel, his precious angel who had been his only light in the darkness. Though the question of "why" would always circle his head, somewhere deep inside himself he knew the answer. The answer had always been there, glaringly obvious, and yet he had not seen it until it was too late. He should have known better than to have fallen so fast. He knew that he should have taken it slower, but after he had set eyes on that gorgeous red head the events around him had spiraled out of control. Sasuke didn't believe in fate, it would be too cruel to believe that all of this had been planned out by some God. Sasuke didn't believe in God. There was no perfection other than Gaara, and he was no longer in reality. There was no afterlife, there was no soul, and Sasuke had never thought that there was. But standing there, in the rain, feeling his life slip away, Sasuke fervently wished that there was.

_This life it ain't worth living…_

_Would you die tonight for love? (Baby join me in death)_

_Would you die? (Baby join me in death)_

_Would you die tonight for love? (Baby join me in death)_

_Baby join me in death_

_

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**If:** Well, I would like to thank all the wonderful people who have supported my fic through its 34 chapters. This is the end I'm afraid. It couldn't have ended any other way. I just hope no one tries to lynch me for this... Um, I don't really have much to say. It took me a long time to figure out how to write this last one, and after a long debate with myself, I decided that this was the only way it could end.

Thank you all for all the support. I guess you can keep your eyes peeled, I'm sure I'll come out with something new (theoretically with a happy ending).

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KK : Welcome back from Greece! Thank you for the nice review! Its alright that you weren't able to review prior to now, I'm just glad I got a review!

blackflame180: Mou thank you. Sorry Gaa-kun couldn't live, it just wouldn't seem right if he did... Thanks for the review!

Lexis-Chan : Wow. In response to all three of your awesome reviews.I'm happy that I could produce so many emotions from my writing, and I'm glad you enjoyed it all. Umm... I think I might hide though, since I don't want to die from your wrath... thanks for the three wonderful reviews!

YINGYANGBLOSSOMS : Mou, don't worry about not reviewing! I'm glad you liked the last few chapters! Thank you so much for all your support over the course of the story! It was wonderful!


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